Toprak Triumphs in Wet Assen Superpole Race

Razgatlioglu dominates damp conditions as Bulega retires; Sam Lowes claims maiden WorldSBK podium in dramatic dash

On a wet but drying track surface Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) rode with full confidence on a full-wet tyre choice to take the Superpole race win, by almost four seconds after just ten laps. He won his fourth race of the year to trim the points advantage at the top of the table to leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Bulega was to retire after finding technical issues on his factory bike, no-scoring for the first time this year.

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati) has had an up-and-down weekend so far, but the pole sitter and no-fault Race One faller survived some hard passes and tricky moments in the wet to take his first podium in WorldSBK, with a strong second place. He was three seconds ahead of the final podium rider, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a tough fight for fourth with the Italian coming out on top, by just 0.240 seconds.

Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing Ducati) placed sixth, from Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati).

Two former BSB riders made the best of the wet conditions, with Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) going from 15th on the grid to ninth, with rookie WorldSBK rider Ryan Vickers (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) beating even Alex Lowes on the factory bimota to take tenth place.

Just one more WorldSBK race to go at Assen, a full distance 21-lap Race Two.

ASSEN SUPERPOLE RACE