Toprak Turns Up the Heat in Portimão

Bulega loses out by thousandths of a second in epic Superpole race

Toprak Razgatlioglau (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) won his second race in as many days at Portimao, once more just beating his only real rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) across the line. The margin of victory this time around was an even slimmer 0.055 seconds, having been 0.067 seconds in Race One.

Bulega had made a great start and took the early lead, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati) just behind and Razgatlioglu in third place, fighting with with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati).

By lap three Razgatlioglu was second, just in the slipstream of Bulega, with Petrucci being dropped off the final fight for the win.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a clean start but found it hard to make progress beyond fifth place early on. He would eventually pass Petrucci with two laps to go to wrap up the final place on the podium.

In fourth place came Petrucci, holding off Race One podium finisher Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha). Sam Lowes would take a finally lonely sixth.

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) headed up a final group of five midfield riders, with the Dutchman seventh, Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) eighth, his Honda team-mate Iker Lecuona ninth, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) tenth and the leading bimota of Axel Bassani in 11th position. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) was 16th.

One full distance 20-lap Race Two remains to be run at Portimao for the WorldSBK riders.

WorldSBK Portimao Superpole Race

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