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00:30In just the space of the next nine days,
00:41season 38 of the Model FIM Superbike World Championship
00:45will be settled with second visits this season to Portugal and Spain.
00:48You join us just outside the coastal town of Estoril,
00:51famed for Europe's fifth largest casino,
00:54for the penultimate roll of the dice in the 2025 campaign,
00:57the seventh staging of the Eichmann Estoril rounds.
01:03The Estoril circuit is one of only two surviving venues
01:06from the inaugural 1988 campaign
01:08and remains popular with fans
01:10thanks to its combination of long straights,
01:12fast corners and slow hairpins.
01:14It's almost impossible to find the perfect lap here.
01:17Technicians must balance set-up
01:18between a 300km per hour start-finish straight
01:21and no less than five corners
01:23that sea riders dip below 90km per hour.
01:26Nine right-handers and only four lefts
01:28mean a big differential in tyre temperature
01:30between one side and the other.
01:32Gradients of up to 7%, low-grip asphalt
01:35and strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean
01:37add to the level of difficulty.
01:39Wet conditions in Superpole last year
01:40and our absence in 2023.
01:43The lap record is the oldest still standing.
01:45Jonathan Rawls, pole lap.
01:46Jonathan Race, pole lap from 2022.
01:48Ending a run of 13 consecutive race victories
02:03for top-rack Razgatlioglu,
02:05Niccolò Bulliga kept alive his fading championship hopes
02:08with a Sunday double in Aragon two weeks ago.
02:11His first victory since Most,
02:13the first weekend since the Italian round in May
02:15that he's outscored top-rack but this time
02:17by only 57 points to 54
02:20and it was Razgatlioglu's race one win
02:22that was likely the defining moment
02:24of the Aragon round.
02:25His first ever victory in Motorland.
02:27The narrowest win top-rack has yet had over Bulliga
02:30at just three hundredths of a second
02:32and a ten-point swing that means Bulliga
02:34is now relying on top-rack dropping points
02:36to other riders in order to take the title.
02:39Alex Raby and Steve English
02:40for the Eikma-Esteril round
02:42and top-rack's race one win in Aragon
02:43means that even Bulliga's two Sunday victories
02:46are likely a case of delaying the inevitable.
02:49Top-rack still 36 points ahead
02:50with two rounds to go.
02:51Yeah, top-rack very much the favourite
02:53and two guys that can get in the mix
02:55are not going to be racing here this weekend as well
02:57so it frees up a little bit at the battle at the front.
02:59For Razgatlioglu, for Bulliga,
03:01the qualifying session is always important
03:03but they always qualify well.
03:05The problem for it is
03:05who's able to get into the mix
03:07to be able to challenge them over the weekend.
03:08That's where this 15-minute session
03:10is so pressure-filled for the rest of the riders.
03:12If top-rack Razgatlioglu outscores Niccolò Bulliga
03:15by 26 points or more this weekend
03:17he will be world champion with a round to spare.
03:20Realistically, big point swings
03:22between the two of them look unlikely
03:23particularly given the metronomic consistency
03:26that both have displayed.
03:27So we should go to Saturday in Jerez
03:29to crown our champion.
03:30If Bulliga does the hat-trick here
03:32and wins race one of the Spanish round
03:33then we will go to the final day of the season.
03:36Battle for Brahms likely settled next Sunday in Jerez.
03:40Danilo Petrucci arrived in Estoril
03:42with a 30-point lead over Andrea Locatelli
03:44and 31 over Alvaro Bautista.
03:47But Petrucci is out with a hand injury
03:48so both Locatelli and Bautista
03:50have a free hit this weekend.
03:52Story so far in free practice
03:54for a fourth consecutive round.
03:56Top-rack Razgatlioglu topped FP1.
03:58Niccolò Bulliga set the fastest time in FP2
04:01as he did in Aragon.
04:02But Top-rack hit back with a new lap record
04:04in free practice three this morning.
04:07He must start as favourite in Super Bowl here.
04:09And he's already shown his race pace too.
04:11An incredible 17-lap stint yesterday afternoon.
04:1415 laps within two-tenths of a second of his fastest.
04:17A few spills.
04:19Turn one crash yesterday for Taz McKenzie.
04:20Cost him around a third of FP1.
04:22Turn two crash for Ika Lekuona
04:24that ended his FP2 after only six laps.
04:27And a turn 12 off for Tito Rabat.
04:29But that cost him less than 10 minutes.
04:32Sam Lowe's second in FP3 this morning.
04:34But Top-rack and Bulliga very much one and two
04:36in Estoril again so far.
04:39Yeah, what we've been able to see from Bulliga and Top-rack
04:41is they've got that little bit of an edge over everyone.
04:43Top-rack on his race pace has a pretty big edge right now.
04:47But you'd expect that when we get into race conditions
04:49it'll be a little bit closer.
04:50But he feels very comfortable and confident out there.
04:52He's got the miles under his belt.
04:54And he certainly thinks that this is the weekend
04:56where he really takes that big step forward
04:58to make sure that you can go to Hareth
04:59and be able to almost enjoy that final round
05:01as a superbike rider.
05:0236 races in the 2025 calendar.
05:0630 of them completed.
05:07And both Top-rack, Razgatlioglu and Niccolò Bulliga
05:10have shown relentless consistency.
05:1226 podiums apiece.
05:14And that makes it much more difficult
05:15to envisage those big point swings
05:17the kind we haven't seen since Assen.
05:19And so Top-rack's leading margin
05:21is perhaps even bigger than it looks on paper at 36 points.
05:24Yeah, and the other side of it as well.
05:25Seven rounds out of the ten
05:26we've had them first and second on the grid.
05:28They've just had that edge over everyone else.
05:30And that's what gives both those riders that confidence
05:32that realistically for Razgatlioglu,
05:35he knew that last time out in Aragon
05:36wasn't the end of the world.
05:37He only gave up three points
05:38despite being beaten in both races on Sunday.
05:41Yeah, the main reason that Niccolò Bulliga
05:42lags behind on points
05:44is that he couldn't take full advantage
05:46of his strongest phase of the season.
05:47Left at least 32 points on the table in Assen.
05:50Probably nine when he was the innocent victim
05:53of a first-turn incident in Misano.
05:55But really, it is this figure,
05:57his lack of race wins,
05:59that leave him trailing.
06:0019 victories for Top-rack
06:01and Niccolò Bulliga on ten.
06:04Two of them last time out in Aragon
06:06that give him just a sliver of hope
06:08of forcing Top-rack into an error
06:09in what are now the final nine days of this season.
06:12Yeah, and realistically,
06:13it's only winning an extra two or three races
06:15and that would have made the world of difference
06:16because it takes points off Top-rack as well
06:18and brings you that a little bit closer.
06:20We obviously saw it for Bulliga.
06:21He's had misfortune this year.
06:22You look at it and you think he's really only made one mistake,
06:25his tyre choice in the Super Bowl race in Hungary.
06:28Other than that, he hasn't put a foot wrong all season,
06:31but he finds himself in a 36-point hold Top-rack
06:33and that's where, into the Super Bowl session,
06:35we know how good he is at qualifying.
06:37He's shown that all the way through his time
06:38in World Superbikes.
06:40The very fact that he's never been outqualified
06:42by his teammate Bautista proves it as well.
06:44But for Bulliga, you look at him
06:46and you see the confidence that comes from that,
06:49but he also has to be realistic
06:50about the challenge he's facing right now.
06:52This is the Race 2 action,
06:54Niccolò Bulliga sweeping away.
06:56Eventually, it was a dominant win,
06:57a small mistake from Top-rack, Razzgatlioglu.
07:00But did Bulliga leave points on the table in Race 1?
07:03Because it was clear on the Sunday
07:04that Ducati had an advantage,
07:06Top-rack was struggling to keep up,
07:08but that win on the Saturday for Top-rack
07:10means he has much more of a margin in hand
07:12and has things within his control at this stage.
07:14Yeah, by winning that one race,
07:16Top-rack could finish second in all the other races
07:18and win the championship,
07:18and that gave him that level of control
07:21for the rest of the season.
07:22The one thing for Top-rack is, though,
07:23we also know that he wants poles,
07:25he wants wins, he wants hat-tricks,
07:27he wants to dominate.
07:28And when he says he's taking it race by race,
07:32he means that as well.
07:32He wants to try and make sure he's able
07:34to finish on a high here before he moves to MotoGP.
07:36Third in the championship is Danilo Petrucci,
07:39but he's unfortunately ruled out injured.
07:41A freak training injury for him.
07:43Petrucci broke a bone in his right hand
07:45after accidentally hitting a wall in the gym.
07:47Did ride 17 laps in FP1,
07:49but with symptoms worsening,
07:51he has been declared unfit.
07:52So his advantage over Andrea Locatelli
07:55and Alvaro Bautista,
07:56likely to be squandered this weekend,
07:58and that may well push his long-held target
08:00of a bronze medal out of reach.
08:02Yeah, and when you look at Petrucci's season,
08:03it's been one that's been based around consistency
08:05as much as anything else.
08:06He's finished every race,
08:08he's been up there, thereabouts,
08:09and that's what's given him those points
08:11and given him that third in the championship.
08:12But now with potential for surgery on Monday,
08:16you'd be forgiven for thinking
08:16if he's starting to focus on his moved BMW.
08:19And a late decision from Sam Lowe's.
08:21He's unfortunately out as well.
08:24Revealed that he suffered bruising to his chest
08:27before the Esteril round,
08:29and unfortunately withdrawn,
08:31despite going out there bravely
08:32in free practice three this morning,
08:34obviously the conditions worsening there.
08:36Yeah, and saw Sam last night in the paddock
08:38and you could see how much discomfort he was in
08:40and just not easy whenever it's like that for a rider.
08:42And there's a difference between being hurt
08:44and being injured.
08:44If you're injured, you can't gut it out.
08:46And ultimately, he's made the decision
08:48to sit down for the weekend.
08:49Yeah, as we say,
08:50did manage to complete some laps earlier on,
08:53but we'll take no further part here.
08:55This is Andrea Locatelli,
08:56one-point lead, as I've said,
08:58over Alvaro Bautista for him.
09:00But Locatelli's only had four podiums
09:02compared to 15 for Alvaro Bautista,
09:05the former champion.
09:06So Locatelli's done well to stay in touch
09:08with the Ducatis,
09:09the Yamaha seemingly inferior.
09:11But Locatelli's only had one top six finish
09:14at the last two rounds,
09:15and he's going to need to rediscover
09:16some of the speed he showed
09:18at these two rounds,
09:19Esteril and Jerez last year,
09:20to prove a genuine rival
09:22to this man, Alvaro Bautista,
09:24for third overall.
09:26Bautista's problem,
09:27four non-scores in the last seven races.
09:29And in that spell,
09:30he's lost 28 points to Petrucci,
09:33and was particularly devastated
09:34with his race one crash in Aragon
09:36because it looked like he might have
09:37lost control in that battle for bronze.
09:39A little bit of good fortune,
09:40obviously, with Petrucci's injury.
09:42And two Sunday podiums for Bautista
09:44in Motorland helped him
09:45to recover 12 points.
09:46So there's a potential
09:47to make a lot more back this weekend
09:49in the absence of Petrucci
09:51for Alvaro Bautista.
09:52Yeah, exactly.
09:53And for Bautista,
09:54he's got a real chance
09:55to still come away
09:56with third in the championship.
09:57And you spoke to him
09:58after the Aragon round,
10:00and it was surprising
10:01just how much that meant
10:02for him to be able
10:02to finish off his tenure
10:03with the Aruba team.
10:05Yes, very much targeting
10:06that third position
10:08in the World Championship.
10:09And the path to that
10:11is smoothed somewhat
10:12by that incident for Petrucci.
10:16Six previous stagings
10:17of the Esteril round,
10:18including four of the last five years,
10:21and the pole positions
10:22have been shared
10:23in that spell
10:23between Toprak,
10:24Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Ray.
10:25As you can see,
10:26Toprak in 2020.
10:27That was with Yamaha
10:28last year on the BMW as well.
10:31Jonathan Ray in 2021
10:32and 22.
10:34Ducati never on pole here.
10:36They have qualified second,
10:37though,
10:37with two different riders.
10:39And Bullock are certainly capable
10:40of ending that duck this morning.
10:42Wet conditions in Superpole
10:43here last season,
10:44but a much better forecast
10:45this weekend.
10:47All new lineups for BMW
10:48and for Honda in 2026,
10:51announced since the Aragon round.
10:53Danilo Petrucci,
10:53of course,
10:54the first rider revealed
10:55for the German manufacturer.
10:57And Miguel Oliveira
10:58will join him next season.
10:59Oliveira,
11:00a former world number two
11:02in Moto2,
11:03ninth in the 2020
11:04MotoGP World Championship
11:06and a five-time Grand Prix winner.
11:08Chance for him
11:08to reinvigorate his career
11:09that's faltered,
11:10you'd have to say,
11:11in the last three seasons.
11:12And a bit of a coup
11:13for World SVK as well.
11:15Ika Lekawona
11:16making his way out onto track
11:17and making his return
11:18from injury this weekend.
11:2076 days,
11:21a surgery,
11:22a wedding
11:22and a new factory contract
11:23since his Palaton Park crash.
11:26Lekawona will move on
11:27to the Aruba.it Ducati
11:28next season.
11:30Something of a surprise,
11:31perhaps,
11:31that he rushed to come back
11:32for these final two rounds.
11:33Yeah,
11:33I think that,
11:34obviously,
11:35for Lekawona,
11:36the injuries have mounted up
11:38and it's been a tough run.
11:39But one thing
11:40that also comes into it
11:41is you want to finish off
11:42your season
11:42so that you're able to go
11:43and then move to Ducati
11:45to test right from the get-go
11:46at the end of the year.
11:48And for Lekawona,
11:49good opportunity
11:50to round off his time
11:51with Honda.
11:52It's been an up and down
11:53for years.
11:54We've seen lots of speed,
11:55lots of potential out there.
11:56And hopefully for him,
11:57he's able to put together
11:58something in this qualifying session.
12:00The fastest lap
12:01we've had so far this weekend,
12:02a 35-2 from Razguttyoglu.
12:03A new lap record
12:04will be deep into the 34s
12:06in this Super Bowl session.
12:07So for Lekawona
12:08and the other riders,
12:10it's about trying to give yourself
12:11something on that first lap
12:13to be able to use
12:14as a bit of a banker.
12:15Xavi Vierke unveiled
12:16straight after the Aragon round
12:17as the replacement
12:18for Jonathan Ray
12:19at Yamaha for 2026.
12:21Vierke released by Honda
12:23after four seasons
12:24that have yielded so far
12:25585 points
12:26and a podium
12:27at the 2023 Indonesian round.
12:30And HRC will bring in
12:31Jake Dixon
12:31and Sompiak Chantra
12:32from the MotoGP paddock
12:35to World SPK next season.
12:37Dixon, of course,
12:38runner-up in the British Championship
12:39to Leon Haslam in 2018.
12:41Has spent seven seasons
12:42since in Moto2.
12:4421 podiums,
12:45including six wins
12:46in the last five years.
12:47Chantra,
12:48the former Asia Talent Cup winner,
12:50won two Moto2 Grand Prix
12:51before stepping up
12:52to MotoGP this season.
12:54He's only scored six points,
12:55so a clean start
12:56for both of those riders next year.
12:58Yeah, and a good change
12:59for them as well
12:59to give themselves
13:00that chance to move on
13:01to what is potentially
13:03a good superbike as well.
13:04The Honda has a lot of potential.
13:05It's just about trying to
13:06put the structures
13:07in place around it
13:08and I think that
13:09that's where it's going
13:09to be interesting
13:10to see the changes
13:10for both Vierke
13:11and for Leclerc
13:12next year
13:13when they go to
13:13much more stable teams
13:15and a very different environment.
13:17New lap record,
13:18as we said,
13:18from top rack Razzgal Klioglu
13:19in FP3 earlier on today.
13:21A 1 minute 35.202.
13:23The qualifying tyre
13:24is available in Estoril
13:26this weekend.
13:27We'll see what the riders
13:27can do with it here
13:28as top rack Razzgal Klioglu
13:30immediately smashes that time
13:31at the fastest
13:32of the weekend so far.
13:33A 1 minute 34.743
13:36for top rack.
13:37Bassani crosses the line
13:38behind him
13:38at 1.355.
13:40Watch out for the likes
13:40of Alvaro Bautista
13:41and Nicolo Bolliga
13:42a little bit further
13:43back on the track.
13:44Bautista was actually up
13:45after sector one,
13:46has lost some ground
13:47in sector two
13:48and meanwhile
13:49Nicolo Bolliga
13:50still up at the halfway mark
13:51on his first flying lap.
13:53Yeah, and we've got
13:54a lot of potential
13:54for faster times
13:55to come in as well
13:56but his top rack sector times
13:57slower than he went
13:58this morning as well
13:59so I think we'll
14:00obviously see Bolliga
14:01throw in a really fast time
14:03right from the start
14:04as well.
14:05Yeah, Nicolo Bolliga
14:05our latest pole sitter
14:06by a six-tenths
14:07of a second margin
14:08over top rack
14:09Razgatlioglu at the Aragon round
14:11it was his fourth pole
14:12of the season
14:12so now only one down
14:14on top rack
14:15second to him
14:15in the Super Pole award
14:17nine front row starts
14:18in ten rounds
14:19in twenty-twenty-five
14:20for Bolliga.
14:21Alvaro Bautista
14:22losing further ground
14:23in sector three
14:24but he is still in line
14:25to move ahead
14:26of Axel Bassani
14:27and provisionally
14:28onto the front row
14:28of the grid
14:29of course in the absence
14:30of Sam Lowe's
14:31in the absence
14:31of Danilo Petrucci
14:32there's very much
14:33a place on the front row
14:34up for grabs
14:35and a potential surprise
14:36in store here
14:37in Super Pole
14:37Bautista does move up
14:38into second position
14:39but it's seven-tenths down
14:40on Razgatlioglu
14:41losing a lot of ground
14:42in the second half
14:43of the lap
14:43the same for Nicolo Bolliga
14:45although not as much
14:46lost as Bautista
14:47he slots into P2
14:48but there's a real
14:49opportunity there
14:50for the Ducatis
14:50in the second half
14:51of the lap
14:52they're going to have
14:52to go at some though
14:53to catch up to top rack
14:54Razgatlioglu
14:55who's going faster still
14:57as he makes his way
14:57through the final sector
14:58this is second flying lap
15:00remember on the Q tyre
15:01and he is going to go
15:03faster still
15:03at one minute
15:0434.669 for top rack
15:06yeah top rack
15:06lost a little bit
15:07of time in sector 3
15:08though
15:09and so there's still
15:10a little bit more
15:11ground for him
15:11to be able to find
15:12and no real surprise
15:14to see that they're
15:14into these kind of times
15:15straight away though
15:16because that's what
15:17the indications have been
15:18all the way through
15:18the weekend
15:19that we'll be down
15:19into the 34s
15:20for the pole time
15:21Bouliga will be
15:21a little bit disappointed
15:22with his first lap
15:23though to be a 35.3
15:25there was a crash as well
15:26for Taz McKenzie
15:27up at turn 10
15:28we'll have to wait
15:28and see if top rack
15:29came through a yellow flag
15:30zone on his fast lap
15:31good work from Axel Bassani
15:33to move himself
15:34up into fourth position
15:35ahead of teammate Alex Lowe's
15:36that's very rarely the case
15:37in a Super Pole session
15:39and Jonathan Ray
15:40up between the two of them
15:41followed Niccolo Bouliga
15:42around on his hot lap
15:43found the right man to chase
15:45yeah for Johnny
15:46he was a little bit
15:47a little bit behind
15:49Bouliga out on track
15:50but able to use him
15:51as a guideline
15:51and goes out
15:52and sets a really fast time
15:5335.4
15:54and it's around
15:56about a tenth of a second
15:57off what had been
15:57the lap record
15:58coming into this weekend
16:00Andrea Locatelli
16:01put in his best Super Pole
16:02of the 2024 season
16:03with P4
16:05he at the moment
16:06is down in eighth position
16:07but an opportunity
16:08to move up onto
16:08the second row
16:09of the grid here
16:10working with Jonathan Ray
16:11his Yamaha teammate
16:13who peels out of the way
16:14onto the start finish straight
16:15to enable Locatelli
16:16to complete his hot lap
16:18and move ahead of Jonathan Ray
16:19into P5
16:20so as we come towards
16:21the end of the opening stint
16:22here in Super Pole
16:23it's Razzgatlioglu
16:24who leads Bouliga
16:25and Bautista
16:26provisionally on the front row
16:27of the grid
16:27he hasn't been on the front row
16:28all season long
16:29in 2025
16:30second row
16:31for Axel Bassani
16:32Andrea Locatelli
16:33and Jonathan Ray
16:34third row of the grid
16:35for Alex Loge
16:35Xavi Vieque
16:36and Remy Garvin
16:37yeah just looking at it
16:38as well
16:38a few riders
16:39doing a good job
16:40in that first stint
16:40Taz McKenzie
16:41despite that crash
16:42up there in the fourth row
16:43of the grid
16:43on the number 95
16:44Ducati
16:45and good lap
16:46being put in by him
16:47when we get into
16:47the second stint
16:48obviously top rack
16:49we can see here
16:50coming back into the pits
16:51and getting a good reaction
16:53from the team
16:54as you'd expect
16:54but for Razzgatlioglu
16:55he's got a little bit
16:56time to find
16:57Bulliga needs to find
16:58quite a bit of time
16:59on his second stint
17:00but when we look
17:00at a few other riders
17:01that need to make a step
17:02Alex Loge
17:03on the third row
17:03of the grid
17:04he'll certainly be
17:05disappointed that
17:06he's down there
17:07his teammates up
17:07on the second row
17:08so he's a rider
17:09to keep an eye on
17:09for the second stint
17:10yeah Sam Loge
17:11certainly would have
17:11been the favourite
17:12to complete the front row
17:13of the grid
17:13in Super Bowl
17:14he's been the one man
17:15who's been able to go
17:16with Razzgatlioglu
17:17and Bulliga
17:18on pure speed
17:19on pure pace
17:20and as I said
17:21at the top of the programme
17:22it does rather open up
17:23an opportunity
17:23and thus far
17:25it's Alvaro Bautista
17:26who's taken advantage
17:26of it
17:27but with only a tenth
17:28of a second
17:28covering third
17:30down to sixth
17:31and only two tenths
17:31for another position
17:32or two
17:33all of those riders
17:34are vulnerable
17:35to a lot of change
17:36in the second stint
17:36yeah and that's where
17:37when it's so close
17:38like this
17:39it just comes down to
17:40are you able to get
17:41on the right wheel
17:42and so often
17:43in the Super Bowl session
17:44it really is about
17:45can you follow
17:46the right rider
17:46are you able to
17:47use them for a tow
17:49down the start
17:49finish straight
17:50are you able to use them
17:51for that opportunity
17:52to be able to find
17:53that little bit extra
17:54Taz McKenzie
17:55previous best
17:56Super Bowl performance
17:57of P8
17:58his best since moving
17:59onto the Bonovo Ducati
18:01P15
18:02at the French round
18:03he currently sits
18:03in 12th place
18:04so he'll be pleased
18:06with that first effort
18:07but over a second
18:08back from P1
18:09of course
18:09the margins look
18:10bigger than they are
18:11because of Toprak's
18:12extreme margin
18:13to the rest of the field
18:15almost
18:15well two thirds
18:16of a second
18:17to Niccolo Bullock
18:18next behind him
18:19this is Alex Lowe's
18:20something of a
18:21Super Bowl specialist
18:22but hasn't had the best
18:23of qualifying performances
18:24here in Estoril
18:25in previous seasons
18:26it was actually his
18:27worst venue for Super Bowl
18:29performances in 2021
18:30and 24
18:31and just 7th on the grid
18:33his best in 4 Estoril rounds
18:35and Alex Lowe certainly
18:36generally qualifies
18:37better than that
18:38average P5
18:39on the grid in 2024
18:404th and 3rd
18:42in the Super Bowl sessions
18:43in the two most recent rounds
18:45for Alex Lowe's
18:45yeah and probably
18:46from Mossed onwards
18:47he's really been able
18:48to get to grips
18:48with the Pomoda
18:49in the Super Bowl session
18:50and this is good
18:52for Johnny as well
18:53to be able to
18:53get there with Bullock
18:55I think I said
18:55yesterday's free practice
18:56session when they
18:57went out together
18:57that Bullock could do
18:59worse than having
19:00Jonathan Ray behind them
19:01and another rider
19:02that's able to get
19:03into the mix
19:03and those opening
19:04couple of laps
19:05to be able to
19:06try and be combative
19:07up against
19:07Rasgetti Oglu
19:08Jonathan Ray
19:093rd on the grid
19:10here last season
19:11one of only 2
19:12front row starts
19:13in 18 rounds
19:14with Yamaha
19:14and both of them
19:15in wet conditions
19:17but he finally
19:18seems to be getting
19:18to grips with that package
19:19we know how well
19:20he went here
19:21in Estoril a year ago
19:22there is an opportunity
19:23for Ray here
19:24to put himself
19:24right amongst it
19:25up towards the
19:26head of the field
19:27yeah I was down
19:27speaking to some
19:28of the people
19:28on his side
19:29of the pit box
19:29and they were all
19:30talking very positively
19:31about this weekend
19:32and their chances
19:33but they were also
19:34cautioning it with
19:35we need to qualify well
19:36and that is
19:37ultimately how the whole
19:39linchpin of the weekend
19:40is and for Ray
19:41it's about giving yourself
19:42that chance
19:43for Toprak
19:44he's now gone out
19:45on track
19:45and he's got his
19:46teammate Michael
19:46van der Mark
19:47behind them
19:47so Buluk has gone
19:48out with Jonathan
19:50Ray to try and give
19:50Ray that opportunity
19:51and for Toprak
19:53he's trying to make
19:53sure that Mikey's
19:54able to move up
19:54from the fourth row
19:55Rasgatlioglu
19:56your provisional
19:57pole sitter
19:58here in Estoril
19:59he's had five poles
20:00in 2025
20:01thus far
20:02and will likely secure
20:03the Superpole award
20:04as well this weekend
20:05did see his run
20:06of three consecutive
20:07poles brought to an end
20:08at the Aragon round
20:09last time out
20:10but still 12 consecutive
20:12front row starts
20:13and a very impressive
20:14qualifying effort
20:15in the opening stint
20:16from Toprak
20:17Rasgatlioglu
20:18who leads the way
20:18Niccolò Buluk
20:19among the first riders
20:20to start
20:21their second stint
20:22here
20:22has got a big gap
20:23to bridge
20:24of almost 7 tenths
20:25of a second
20:25Buluk is the fastest rider
20:26in the first sector
20:27so don't be surprised
20:28if he has a red sector
20:29in sector one
20:30it's sector two and three
20:31where Rasgatlioglu
20:32has a bit of an edge
20:33yeah we saw Bautista
20:34up in sector one
20:35as well
20:35something of a surprise
20:36because Toprak
20:36usually goes well
20:37through the opening sector
20:38particularly the heavy
20:39braking in towards
20:40turn one
20:41yeah it just seems
20:41this is a part of the track
20:43where the Ducati's
20:43working well
20:44this is the area
20:45where the BMW
20:46seems to find
20:47a little bit more
20:47as well as we ride
20:48on board with Jonathan
20:49Ray and you can see
20:50just Ray losing
20:51that little bit of
20:52contact now with
20:53Buluk on their first
20:54flying lap
20:54a tenth of a second
20:56in the first sector
20:56and it's going to be
20:57another couple of tenths
20:58of a second
20:58at the halfway stage
20:59Niccolò Buluk
21:00a fifth on the grid
21:01here last season
21:02actually his worst
21:03Superpole result to date
21:04one of only four times
21:05that he's qualified
21:06off the front row
21:07in his two world
21:08SBK seasons
21:09but very much chasing
21:10a pole position
21:11here this morning
21:12five thousandths
21:13of a second down
21:14at the halfway mark
21:15on his first lap
21:16of this his second stick
21:17it's a personal best
21:18in the second sector
21:19for Buluk
21:20but not a big jump
21:21compared to where he was
21:22on his previous lap
21:23he's found time
21:24though in sector three
21:24fastest time of all
21:25in sector three
21:26rolled an opportunity
21:27here then for
21:28Niccolò Buluk
21:28a tenth of a second up
21:29after three completed sectors
21:31the biggest problem
21:32is the final sector
21:33on his first stint
21:34he was a lot slower
21:35than Razgatlioglu
21:36he needs to find
21:37three or four tenths
21:38compared to Toprak there
21:39but looks a lot tidier
21:40this lap
21:40well we know
21:41from the Superpole race
21:42last season
21:42that Buluk
21:43can get off
21:43that final turn
21:44drag race to the line
21:45then
21:45134.669 to beat
21:47set by Toprak
21:48Razgatlioglu
21:49in his opening stint
21:50Niccolò Buluk
21:51comes across the line
21:52and it is provisional pole
21:53by a tenth of a second
21:55for Niccolò Buluk
21:55a 134.549
21:58but Toprak
21:59Razgatlioglu answers back
22:00in the opening sector
22:02of his second stint
22:03yeah Toprak up by a tenth
22:04of a second
22:05in sector one
22:05and finding that time
22:07just about to come through
22:08onto the back straight
22:09so Razgatlioglu
22:10looks like he's got
22:11a pretty clear track
22:11in front of him
22:12as he came past
22:13our commentary box
22:13and Niccolò Buluk
22:14has lap time there
22:15overshadowing
22:16Jonathan Ray's effort
22:17to get himself up
22:18provisionally
22:18onto the front row
22:19of the grid
22:20he's got a lot of competition
22:22though to hold onto it
22:23Alvaro Bautista
22:24most notably
22:24Andrea Locatelli
22:26as well
22:26don't sleep on Alex Lowe's
22:28and Remy Gardner
22:29having a good lap here
22:30now Gardner
22:31put in a good lap
22:32in free practice
22:32three earlier on today
22:33as well
22:34yeah Remy
22:34up inside the top three
22:36rows of the grid
22:36if Yamaha are able
22:37to come away
22:38with three bikes
22:38up inside the top nine
22:39they've done well
22:40Toprak though
22:41he's doing well
22:41on this lap
22:42up by two tenths
22:42of a second
22:43into that final sector
22:45this then is
22:46Remy Gardner
22:48just 16th
22:49on the grid here
22:50at his first
22:51Estoril round
22:52last year
22:53it was his worst
22:53Super Bowl
22:54of the 2024 campaign
22:56it's looking like
22:56being his best
22:57in 2025
22:58he crosses the line
22:59fractionally slower
23:00than Jonathan Ray
23:01it's P4 from Remy Gardner
23:02and that does raise
23:03a round of applause
23:04from his team GRT
23:05but it's all about
23:06Toprak Razgatlioglu
23:07two tenths of a second
23:08up after three
23:09completed sectors
23:10Bulliger has taken
23:12top spot from
23:12Razgatlioglu
23:13Razgatlioglu answers
23:15back at one minute
23:1534.203
23:17three tenths of a second
23:19faster than Bulliger's
23:20time
23:20Alvaro Bautista
23:21moves up onto the
23:22front row of the grid
23:22Xavi Vierke had gone
23:24P3
23:24Alex Lowe's bettered
23:26that
23:26Bautista goes faster
23:27still
23:27and this is a golden
23:29opportunity now
23:29for Alvaro Bautista
23:30yeah Gardner
23:31Ray Gardner
23:32and Locatelli
23:33on the Yamahas
23:33all now
23:34relegated down
23:34to 7th and 9th
23:36position
23:36sorry 6th
23:377th and 8th
23:38as Toprak
23:38tries to keep going
23:40he's a tenth of a second
23:40down in sector one
23:41we saw he was able
23:42to do two laps
23:43on his first stint
23:44but down by a tenth
23:45in the first sector
23:46Alvaro Bautista
23:47currently in P3
23:48remember 6th on the grid
23:50last time out
23:51in Aragon
23:51and that was his best
23:52since Cremona
23:53and chasing his first
23:55front row start
23:55of the season
23:56was P4
23:57at the Australian
23:58and the Italian round
23:59and that's as good
24:00as it's got for him
24:01in Super Bowl
24:02in 2025
24:02thus far
24:03so obviously
24:04Sam Lowe's is absent
24:05Danilo Petrucci's absent
24:07certainly helps the cause
24:08of Alvaro Bautista
24:09but he went faster
24:10in his second stint
24:11than he did in his first
24:12and he snapped back
24:13that P3
24:13yeah really good to see
24:14from Alvaro
24:15really important as well
24:16obviously he's fighting it out
24:17for third in the championship
24:18Petrucci isn't here
24:19so it should be
24:21a case for Alvaro
24:22where he's able
24:23just to focus on his own job
24:24this week
24:24rather than thinking about
24:25that third in the championship
24:26Axel Bassani
24:27losing a little bit of ground
24:28in sector three
24:29he's provisionally
24:30on the third row
24:31of the grid
24:31five places behind
24:32teammate Alex Lowe's
24:34and Bassani's challenge
24:35would have been
24:36to try and get on
24:37to the second row
24:37of the grid
24:37the rider behind this
24:38wants to keep an eye
24:39on Ryan Vickers
24:39on course
24:40for a really good lap
24:41and we know
24:42how motivated Ryan is
24:43after everything
24:44that's happened
24:44this weekend
24:45with confirmation
24:45that he won't be
24:46on the motocorsa
24:46bike next year
24:47yes
24:47said yesterday to me
24:48that he's expecting
24:49to announce his plans
24:50for 2026
24:51in the coming days
24:52after his split
24:53from motocorsa
24:54and he crosses the line
24:56there to go P11
24:57so fourth row
24:58of the grid
24:58for Ryan Vickers
24:59still got time
25:00for one more lap
25:01those riders
25:01the checkered flag
25:02just going out now
25:03and that's the end
25:05of the session
25:05chance for Jonathan Ray
25:06to improve here
25:07as well
25:08as he follows
25:08Niccolo Bullock around
25:09off the final turn
25:10the two of them
25:10are going to go
25:11side by side
25:12Ray was up
25:12on his personal best
25:13after sector three
25:14will Jonathan Ray
25:15improve no
25:16he loses ground
25:17in the final sector
25:18but remains in P6
25:19good for Johnny
25:20though second row
25:21of the grid
25:21means that into turn one
25:22we know the Yamaha
25:23gets off the line
25:24well we know that
25:25Ray's going to give
25:26himself that chance
25:26to be aggressive
25:27into turn one
25:28and that'll be his
25:29opportunity to
25:30pick off some plays
25:31as you can see there
25:32a little bit of
25:33communication
25:33between the 65
25:34and the 11
25:35there
25:35thumbs up
25:36from Bullock
25:36and Johnny
25:37just giving his
25:38appreciation as well
25:39yeah Jonathan Ray
25:40in P6
25:42on the grid
25:42and that will be
25:44only the second time
25:45this season
25:45that he's qualified
25:46as well as the second
25:48row of the grid
25:48because he was P8
25:49last time out
25:49at the Aragon round
25:51so I think Ray
25:52will be pleased with that
25:53an opportunity to
25:54really go at the front
25:56in those early laps
25:57now we did see
25:57in free practice
25:58that there was a
25:59significant drop off
26:00array from around
26:01lap 8 onwards
26:02but certainly the
26:03first 6-7 laps
26:04and when you think
26:04about the Superpole
26:05race tomorrow as well
26:06the opportunity is there
26:07for Jonathan Ray
26:08yeah it really is
26:09and just when you look
26:10at the times here
26:10as well
26:11Xavi Vieira
26:11just coming around
26:12he's not going to
26:12improve his time
26:13but a third of a second
26:14between Toprak
26:15and Bullock
26:16and then another
26:17six tenths back
26:18to Bautista
26:19and then it's really
26:20close for half a second
26:22taking you down
26:22all the way to
26:23fifth row of the grid
26:24but Bullock
26:25and Rasguidioglu
26:26have a very clear
26:27advantage here
26:28in terms of the
26:29right pace
26:29so your positions
26:32on the grid
26:33for race one
26:33this afternoon
26:34and tomorrow morning's
26:34Tissot Superpole race
26:36Toprak
26:36Rasguidioglu
26:37takes pole
26:37by three tenths
26:38of a second
26:39over Niccolò
26:39Bullock
26:40Alvaro Bautista
26:41on the front row
26:42of the grid
26:42for the first time
26:43this season
26:43second row
26:44of the grid
26:45for Alex Lowe's
26:46P4 on the promoter
26:47Xavi Vieira
26:48P5
26:49that's a brilliant result
26:50as far as
26:51Vieira is concerned
26:52and in fact
26:53matches his best
26:55ever grid position
26:56set P5
26:57in Cremona
26:58earlier on
26:59this campaign
26:59the third time
27:00in 2025
27:01he's qualified
27:02as well
27:03as the second
27:03row of the grid
27:04Jonathan Ray
27:05completes row two
27:06Remy Gardner
27:07Andrea Locatelli
27:08and Axel Bassani
27:09your third row
27:10of the grid
27:10bit of a shame
27:11for Andrea Iannone
27:12to find himself
27:12only down in P10
27:13I expected
27:14somewhat more
27:15on the basis
27:15of his performance
27:16yesterday
27:17yeah I think
27:17for Iannone
27:18when you look
27:19at what he was
27:19able to do
27:20in this morning
27:20session as well
27:21sixth fastest
27:21but it's just
27:23tricky in World
27:24SBK
27:24and we saw
27:25it for Jonathan
27:26Ray's lap
27:27the importance
27:27of being with
27:28the right rider
27:29at the right
27:29time
27:29to be able
27:30to set
27:30your fast
27:31lap times
27:31yes
27:32Iannone
27:33has managed
27:35to be on the
27:35second and third
27:36rows of the grid
27:37at each of the
27:37last three rounds
27:38so that will be
27:39his worst
27:39Super Bowl
27:39performance
27:40since Donington
27:41Park
27:41where he qualified
27:42down in P14
27:44still just a one
27:44front row start
27:45this season
27:46for Andrea Iannone
27:46dating back
27:47to Phillip Island
27:48and that really
27:49is the only one
27:50round where we've
27:51seen him at his
27:51absolute best
27:52and leaving
27:53Phillip Island
27:53we thought
27:53wow Iannone's
27:54a potential
27:55championship
27:55contender
27:56he's shown
27:56none of that
27:56since
27:57yeah for Iannone
27:58it's just
27:58one of those
27:59ones where
27:59we've been
28:00able to see
28:00some flashes
28:01through the
28:02season
28:02think back
28:02to Cremona
28:03and the
28:03great defensive
28:04right to
28:05try and hold
28:06on to a top
28:06five spot
28:07but more often
28:08than not
28:08Andrea just
28:09hasn't been
28:10able to make
28:10the impact
28:10that I think
28:11everyone expected
28:11and he's
28:12obviously frustrated
28:13with the situation
28:14and he's been
28:14very vocal
28:15about that as
28:16well and
28:16ultimately if
28:17you're on an
28:18independent team
28:19it is just
28:20more difficult
28:20out there
28:21and I think
28:22Iannone's
28:22struggled to
28:24be able to
28:24find the
28:25performance that
28:26he needs
28:27whereas you look
28:27at some of the
28:27other independent
28:28Ducati riders
28:29and they have
28:29found that balance
28:30obviously we can't
28:31read too much
28:31into the results
28:32over a single
28:34flying lap
28:35but Niccolo
28:36Bulliger
28:36and not least
28:38because Niccolo
28:39Bulliger is six
28:39tenths of a second
28:40faster over a
28:41single lap
28:41in Aragon
28:42and then
28:42Toprak goes
28:43away and wins
28:43race one
28:44later on the
28:44same day
28:45but nonetheless
28:46Toprak we saw
28:47his long run
28:48pace we've seen
28:49him take
28:49Superpole
28:49on a new
28:50lap record
28:50at three tenths
28:51of a second
28:52faster Niccolo
28:52Bulliger there
28:53he came into
28:54this weekend
28:55saying he wants
28:55a hat-trick
28:56you wouldn't
28:56bet against it
28:57after that
28:57performance
28:58I think that
28:59you don't
29:00have to read
29:00too much into
29:01it and it's
29:02easy to see
29:03how the race
29:03could be
29:04different
29:04the other
29:05side of the
29:05coin as well
29:05is we know
29:06how good Toprak
29:07is and having
29:08a one lap
29:08pace advantage
29:09like this
29:10having done
29:1016 laps in
29:11the low 36
29:12as yesterday
29:13it gives you
29:14a really good
29:14indication of
29:15where he's
29:15feeling right
29:16now and that's
29:16where for
29:17Bulliger he
29:18needs to make
29:18his step
29:19yes in a
29:20way I feel
29:20that Bulliger's
29:21last chance in
29:22the championship
29:23as it were
29:24would have been
29:24to win that
29:25race one in
29:25Aragon and
29:26really try and
29:26put some
29:27pressure on
29:27Toprak
29:28Toprak knows
29:28he comes into
29:29this weekend
29:30and the last
29:30in Jerez he
29:31can afford
29:31second places
29:32everywhere he
29:33goes he can
29:33ride within
29:33himself and in
29:34his usual
29:35style but if
29:36he'd known that
29:37Bulliger could
29:38win six races
29:39and be world
29:39champion
29:40that might just
29:41increase the
29:42pressure on a
29:42little bit for
29:43Toprak
29:44yeah it would
29:44change how
29:45you're having to
29:45approach the
29:46weekends and
29:47the different
29:47races but
29:49ultimately for
29:49Toprak he'll
29:50also feel that
29:51he's the best
29:52rider in the
29:53paddock he's the
29:53best superbike
29:54rider on the
29:54planet and it's
29:55up to him to
29:56make sure that he
29:56dictates how he's
29:57going to win his
29:58championship and
29:59that's his
29:59mentality as well
30:00that's what he's
30:01been trained into
30:02for his whole
30:03career
30:03Alvaro Bautista
30:05completing the
30:06front row of
30:07the grid had
30:08only managed one
30:08front row start in
30:09four previous
30:10Estoril rounds
30:11a third place on
30:12the grid in
30:122022 he was
30:14only 11th here
30:15last year but
30:16matches that
30:17third place from
30:18three years ago to
30:19complete the front
30:20row of the grid
30:20at the 2025
30:21Estoril round and
30:23we said it
30:24previously riders
30:25need to get
30:25between Razgatlioglu
30:26and Bulliger in
30:27order for there to
30:28be big point
30:29swings Bautista
30:30was close to them
30:30in Aragon he's
30:31closer still to
30:32them on the grid
30:33here in Estoril
30:33yeah closer on
30:35the grid
30:356 tenths of a
30:37second the margin
30:37though in Super
30:38Bowl
30:38a second off the
30:39pace in Super
30:39Bowl you know
30:40and I think it
30:41shows as well
30:41just how difficult
30:43it is to really
30:44be able to try
30:45and bring that
30:45fight to those
30:46other riders and
30:47lap one's going
30:48to be the key
30:48thing because we
30:49know from the
30:49second row of
30:50the grid Ray on
30:51the number 65
30:52Yamaha is going to
30:52come through Alex
30:53Lowe's from the
30:54front of the second
30:55row always good
30:56into those first
30:57few corners so
30:58they'll try and
30:59put themselves into
31:00that mix
31:00but also for all
31:02those other riders
31:02they don't want to
31:03be the guy that
31:04has a big impact
31:04on the championship
31:05battle as well
31:05if there's a chance
31:06to win a race
31:07you try and take
31:07it otherwise
31:08riders tend to
31:09be a little bit
31:10more circumspect
31:11with championship
31:12rivals
31:13yeah and particularly
31:14for Bautista
31:14with Bulliger as
31:16his teammate we
31:16did see that in
31:17the latter stages
31:17of last season as
31:18well
31:19I think given how
31:20things have ended
31:20this year between
31:21Ducati and Alvaro
31:23I wouldn't be too
31:24surprised if Alvaro
31:24was thinking about
31:25himself as well
31:25he is still going
31:27to be on a Ducati
31:28next season
31:28he's got his
31:29third in the world
31:30championship to think
31:30about that'll be his
31:31focus but if he gets
31:32an opportunity to win
31:33a race he's taken
31:34that opportunity and
31:35I think that's what's
31:36going to make it quite
31:37interesting over the
31:38course of the weekend
31:38yes he was very
31:39honest with me in
31:41Aragon when I said
31:41look you're much
31:42closer you're not too
31:43far away and he said
31:44yeah while they're
31:44fighting but the
31:46moment they settled
31:47into a rhythm they
31:48were able to break
31:48away Bautista does
31:49still have a margin
31:50to find he's betting
31:51on the new Ducati
31:53for 2026 and
31:54hoping that that
31:55brings him back
31:56into the fight for
31:57race victories
31:58time will tell on
31:58that in the meanwhile
31:59a great platform
32:00to challenge for
32:01three podiums and
32:03third in the world
32:03championship over the
32:04course of this
32:05weekend Alvaro
32:06Bautista first
32:07front row start of
32:09this 2025 campaign
32:10in fact the 25th
32:12front row start in
32:13his world SBK
32:14career but he's had
32:14to wait since the
32:162024 Aragon round
32:17Alvaro Bautista
32:22new hairstyle but
32:23still same great
32:24pace for a front row
32:25position here
32:25yeah I'm so happy
32:27because I don't
32:29remember last time
32:29I was in in first
32:31row after the
32:32Super Bowl so
32:33yeah I'm really
32:34happy no today
32:36I improved my
32:37feeling from
32:38yesterday thanks to
32:39my team because we
32:40worked really hard
32:41and sincerely today
32:43I enjoyed too much
32:45riding the bike so
32:46let's see later no
32:48but at the moment
32:48I'm quite happy
32:49the lap time was
32:51quite good so let's
32:53try to enjoy the
32:54race later yeah
32:56really happy to be
32:57on first row for
32:59the grid let's see
33:00at the moment I'm
33:02quite happy with the
33:03feeling I have with
33:04the bike great
33:05so thanks Alvaro
33:06thank you in the
33:07absence of Danilo
33:07Petrucci three
33:08third places for
33:09Bautista puts him
33:10in control of that
33:11battle for bronze
33:12going into the final
33:13round yes if the
33:14opportunity is there
33:15for him to chase
33:16down a race win
33:17he's going to go
33:17for it but he's
33:18also got to make
33:19sure he doesn't do
33:19anything silly this
33:20weekend with the
33:21golden opportunity
33:22that's been presented
33:23to him yeah and I
33:24kind of think with
33:24Petrucci looking like
33:25he's going to go
33:26under the knife on
33:26Monday it's unlikely
33:27we're going to see
33:28him in Jerez or at
33:29least at his best
33:30in Jerez so this is
33:32really Alvaro's now
33:33and it's a case of
33:34the pressure's being
33:35taken off him to a
33:36big extent and
33:36hopefully he's able
33:37to just go out and
33:38give himself a chance
33:39to be able to fight
33:40at the front and we
33:41know that Bautista
33:42gets better and better
33:42as the weekend
33:43goes on at least
33:44now he's got a good
33:45qualifying position
33:45for the Super
33:46Pole race as well
33:47yeah got to make
33:47sure he holds on to
33:48it tomorrow morning
33:50also but race one
33:51podium will be his
33:52target in the
33:53meanwhile two
33:54Ducatis then up on
33:55the front row of the
33:56grid it's second
33:57place today for
33:58Niccolò Bulliga
33:58third consecutive
33:59front row and the
34:0019th of his
34:01Superbike career
34:02Niccolò Bulliga P2
34:06on the grid a good
34:07battle there in
34:08Super Pole
34:08yeah my lap was not
34:11so bad but top
34:12rack even much
34:13faster so
34:14congratulations to
34:15him and BMW I
34:17hope to improve a
34:18little bit for the
34:19race and then we
34:20will see
34:20okay thanks Niccolò
34:22thank you
34:22in reality top
34:24rack Bulliga they've
34:26traded first and
34:27second positions in
34:28Super Pole for much
34:29of this season and
34:30when they're both on
34:31the front row of the
34:32grid there's nothing
34:33major won or lost in
34:36the scrap for race
34:37points at this stage
34:38yeah exactly and
34:39ultimately Bulliga
34:40needs luck on his
34:41side for the
34:41championship but you
34:43have to just try and
34:44focus on being able to
34:45take the fight to top
34:46rack and being able to
34:47battle with them and
34:48just try and win races
34:49and try and control the
34:51controllables for you
34:52because ultimately when
34:54they've got the
34:54advantage they have over
34:55most of the rest of the
34:56field through this
34:57season it's very
34:58difficult to see how
34:59you're really able to
35:00put other people in the
35:02mix and I think
35:02Bulliga he just needs to
35:04focus on being able to
35:05pick up his race wins
35:06looks as though top rack's
35:07deep in conversation
35:08there with the guys
35:10from Pirelli we're just
35:12dragging him away so
35:13that we can hear from
35:14him as well top rack
35:15Raz Gatlioglu at 13th
35:17consecutive front row
35:18start I think that
35:19matches his personal
35:20best from the 2020 and
35:2221 campaigns he's not
35:24going to be able to
35:25match the record though
35:25that sits at 17 and
35:27obviously top rack will
35:27be in MotoGP so we'll
35:29lose the opportunity to
35:31to equal that record at
35:32the start of next season
35:33but anyway 49th career
35:34front row and more
35:35importantly for top rack
35:36pole position number
35:3824 in World SBK
35:40top rack Raz Gatlioglu
35:44a brilliant super
35:44pole session a record
35:46lap another super
35:47pole couldn't have
35:47gone better for you
35:48first I say I'm really
35:50happy but also I'm
35:51surprised when I see
35:52the lap time because
35:53the second one I use
35:55a C2 front tyre but
35:56I'm not really happy but
35:57I see the lap times
35:58incredible I'm really
36:00happy and thanks to my
36:01team every session we
36:02are still improve the
36:03bike now I'm just
36:04focused the race because
36:05this first race is very
36:06important I'm ready to
36:08fight for the win
36:08okay thanks top rack
36:10top rack Raz Gatlioglu
36:12takes pole position by
36:14three-tenths of a second
36:15over Niccolo Bulliger and
36:17in classic top rack
36:19style I thought he did
36:20very well to answer
36:20Bulliger back because
36:21Bulliger did manage to
36:23go faster at the start
36:24of his second stint than
36:25top rack but in that
36:26first sector where I said
36:27top rack has generally
36:29been strong through the
36:29weekend did manage to
36:31find some pace on his
36:32flying lap in his second
36:33stint yeah he was two
36:34tenths of a second faster
36:35than Bulliger in that
36:35sector a tenth of a
36:36second faster in the
36:37final sector and that
36:38was the difference
36:39between them on the day
36:40and for top rack we've
36:42seen just how strong he
36:43is this weekend he went
36:44out he did a full race
36:45run yesterday and he
36:46just looked fantastic
36:48went into the BMW
36:49pitbox afterwards and a
36:51few people within the
36:51team just said that was
36:53steady enough from top
36:54rack wasn't it it was a
36:55bit more than steady so
36:57everyone knows the
36:58challenge that they're
36:58going to face going up
36:59against him in this
37:00afternoon's race but for
37:01Bulliger we've also seen
37:03where he's never afraid to
37:04attack he's never afraid
37:05to try and lead from the
37:06front and overtake
37:08Razgidioglu and that's
37:09what he's going to do
37:09during the course of this
37:10afternoon's race as well
37:11yeah top rack's reaction
37:13was similar when I saw him
37:14yesterday afternoon and I
37:15said wow that was very
37:16impressive and he said
37:17well not bad with that
37:19cheeky smile that only top
37:20rack can manage he knows
37:22that he's got the race
37:23pace advantage but it's
37:25also very difficult to tell
37:27what Nicolo Bulliger's got
37:28underneath him because he
37:29set the fastest time
37:30yesterday but he was
37:31doing shorter stints and
37:33sometimes used tyres and
37:34so very difficult to get a
37:35clear gauge on where we are
37:37over a full race distance
37:38yeah and that's the
37:39strategy that Bulliger
37:40tends to have in practice
37:41sessions is shorter runs
37:43top rack likes to do
37:43longer runs and they
37:46always end up in the same
37:47place in the same pace so
37:48it'll be an exciting race
37:50this afternoon yeah looking
37:52forward to seeing whether
37:52Alvaro Bautista can get in
37:54the mix as well as Troy
37:57Bayliss hands out the
37:57trophies Alvaro Bautista
37:59third position for him
38:0025th front row start of his
38:02world SBK career and his
38:04first front row since the
38:052024 Aragon round
38:07remember that was his only
38:08front row start last
38:09season only one front row
38:10start last season one
38:11front row start only in
38:132025 as well second place
38:15for Nicolo Bulliger and
38:17it's three consecutive
38:18front row starts for him
38:19Pulse it a last time out in
38:21Aragon at 19th front row
38:23start of his career for
38:24top rack Razgatlioglu
38:2513th consecutive front row
38:27start matching his personal
38:28best from the 2020 and 21
38:30campaigns on board the
38:32Yamaha pole position number
38:3424 for him he's still too
38:36short of Bayliss's 26th
38:38career pole position so
38:41top rack's not going to be
38:41able to get there unless he
38:43makes a return to world SBK
38:45later in his career
38:46let's look at those results
38:49in full then
38:49Razgatlioglu, Bulliger and
38:52Bautista two Ducatis on the
38:53front row of the grid Alex
38:55Lowe's in P4 so hasn't been
38:57out of the top four in the
38:58last three rounds and has
38:59only been once out of the
39:01top five in the last six
39:02rounds Xavi Vierke P5
39:04matching his best ever
39:05super pole result Jonathan
39:07Ray rounds out the second
39:08row of the grid only the
39:09second time this season he's
39:10done as well as the second
39:12row Remy Gardner will be
39:13pleased with P7 I will get it
39:17out in the end his best
39:18super pole results in the
39:20Emilia Romani around and up
39:21ahead of Andrea Locatelli who
39:23can only qualify in P8 matching
39:25his average grid position for
39:26this season Axel Bassani rounding
39:28out row number three it's P9 for
39:31him
39:31Dissot super pole awards and top
39:41back Razgatlioglu on the verge of
39:43wrapping up that one certainly
39:44will have the opportunity to do
39:45so in tomorrow's super pole race
39:48well that's all for now we'll be
40:15back in around two hours time and
40:17building up for race one here in
40:19Estoril
40:19course
40:20yeah
40:24oh
40:32you
40:32yeah
40:32yeah
40:34yeah
40:34yeah
40:39yeah
40:40yeah
40:45yeah
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