Bulega completes Assen clean sweep as Oettl, Fleerackers and Neila also strike

Round Three – Assen – Sunday

Sunday at TT Circuit Assen began with the 10-lap WorldSBK Superpole Race and ended with Ducati in even firmer control than it had shown on Saturday. Bulega’s weekend maximum pushed his title lead out again, and for the first time ever, a single manufacturer swept the podium in all three races of the weekend.

Across the support classes, though, the picture was more varied, with changing weather, red flags and late-race fights all playing a part in the day’s results.

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WorldSBK Race Two

Race 2 briefly hinted at a different script before Ducati’s grip tightened once more. Sam Lowes made a superb launch from the outside of the front row, beat Iker Lecuona to Turn 1 and then swept past Nicolò Bulega at the next corner to lead the opening two laps. Lecuona looked ready to respond through Turns 6 and 7 on the first lap, but ran a touch wide and had to settle back in.

WorldSBK Race Two Start

The decisive sequence came on lap three: Lecuona first got ahead at Turn 1, Bulega followed him through at Turn 4, then the championship leader made the winning move under brakes at Turn 16 before the lap was done. From there, Bulega took control, set the fastest lap of the race with a 1m33.162s on lap four, and steadily edged clear to win by 2.724s. It was his ninth win from the opening nine races of the season, his 13th in succession to draw level with Toprak Razgatlioglu, and another podium in a run that now stands at 22 straight.

WorldSBK Race Two Start

Lecuona secured a sixth consecutive second place, while Lowes completed the rostrum in third for his third P3 finish of the Assen weekend, a result that also delivered Great Britain’s 900th WorldSBK podium.

Álvaro Bautista

Behind the leading trio, Ducati’s dominance only became more emphatic. Álvaro Bautista made the key move for fourth on Alex Lowes at Turn 16 on lap four and never relinquished the position, capping a weekend in which he finished fourth in all three races. Team-mate Yari Montella came through strongly from eighth on the grid and used his pace advantage to move into fifth around mid-distance, while Lorenzo Baldassarri climbed from 10th on the grid to sixth after picking off riders ahead with a series of aggressive passes. That gave Ducati a clean sweep of the top six in the 21-lap finale, repeating the feat they managed in Race 2 at Phillip Island last year.

Sam Lowes

Xavi Vierge was best of the rest in seventh, just ahead of Pata Maxus Yamaha team-mate Andrea Locatelli, who made a late move on Danilo Petrucci for eighth, while the BMW rider had to settle for ninth. Tarran Mackenzie completed the top 10.

Miguel Oliveira

Further back, Alex Lowes’ race unravelled after running fourth in the early laps, the bimota rider fading to 11th by the flag, while Miguel Oliveira could not convert his speed into another top-10 result and finished 12th. Axel Bassani was 13th, with Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi taking 14th and 15th respectively for GYTR GRT Yamaha, separated by just 0.003s at the line.

Jonathan Rea

Tommy Bridewell missed a point by 1.585s in 16th, ahead of Alberto Surra, Garrett Gerloff and Jonathan Rea, while Bahattin Sofuoglu rounded out the top 20. As of Saturday, every rider who started the race reached the finish, with Mattia Rato and wildcard Twan Smits completing the order.

WorldSBK Race Two Podium

WorldSBK Race Two Results

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WorldSBK Superpole Race

Earlier on Sunday, before the full-distance Race 2 delivered Ducati’s top-six lockout, the 10-lap Superpole Race had already reinforced who controlled the Dutch round. Nicolò Bulega converted pole into another win, but the sprint was not entirely straightforward. Iker Lecuona stayed close enough to keep the pressure on in the opening laps, Sam Lowes again put an independent Ducati on the podium in third, and behind them, the fight for the crucial top-nine grid spots for Race 2 remained tight all the way to the flag.

Nicolò Bulega

Bulega ultimately won by 1.742s from Lecuona, with Lowes another 0.890s back in third. His 1m32.357s was not only the fastest lap of the race but also a new Superpole Race lap record at Assen.

Behind the leading trio, Álvaro Bautista turned seventh on the grid into fourth, completing the decisive move on Alex Lowes in the closing stages after the pair spent much of the race locked together. Alex Lowes still came away with a solid fifth for bimota, just 0.154s behind Bautista at the flag, while Xavi Vierge backed up his strong qualifying pace with sixth for Yamaha.

Sam Lowes

Danilo Petrucci edged Yari Montella by the finest possible margin for seventh, the BMW rider beating the Barni Ducati by just 0.001s, while Andrea Locatelli claimed ninth and the final spot that mattered for the Race 2 grid. That top-nine result was especially important because it kept him in the first three rows for the afternoon’s long race.

Just outside that cut-off, Remy Gardner was only 0.243s short of Locatelli in 10th, which left the Australian narrowly missing the grid gain he needed for Race 2. Miguel Oliveira finished 11th.

WorldSBK Superpole Race Results

WorldSBK Championship

Bulega’s Assen haul means he now has 186 points to Lecuona’s 117, a 69-point championship lead after only three rounds. Sam Lowes moves into third on 82 and continues to head the independent riders, while Ducati’s perfect nine wins from nine races have opened a 91-point manufacturers’ lead over bimota, 186 to 95. For the first time in WorldSBK history, one manufacturer locked out the podium in all three races of a single round.

Nicolò Bulega

From the Australian angle, Gardner added points in both Sunday races but never quite escaped the same midfield gravity that shaped his Saturday. He was 10th in the sprint and 14th in Race 2, while Honda’s weekend remained grim. Rea was 17th in the Superpole Race, 17th in Saturday’s Race 1 and 19th in Race 2, while Chantra never returned after his FP3 crash. The end result was stark: despite Rea’s second weekend of development work with the CBR1000RR-R, no Honda rider scored a point at Assen.

WorldSBK Championship Points

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WorldSBK Quotes

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WorldSSP Race Two

Oettl gets his first win as red flag cuts Race 2 short

Philipp Oettl’s first WorldSSP win had been coming often enough to feel overdue, and Assen finally gave it to him. The German took the lead on lap 10 and was still there when Race 2 was stopped after 12 laps, the red flag ending proceedings following a Turn 5 crash involving Roberto Garcia and Jack Kennedy. With more than two-thirds of the distance completed, the result was declared, leaving Oettl a maiden winner in his 66th class start. Albert Arenas finished second, only 0.403s adrift at the stoppage, and Can Öncü was third after leading seven laps in the middle part of the race.

Philipp Oettl

Philipp Oettl – P1

“This win feels great. I had a difficult race yesterday because of a long lap penalty and some issues with the tyre. Today we made a different choice and it worked well. I tried to be smart and pushed when I was in front and then I tried to manage the race. The red flag came at a good moment for me but I felt I had the pace to pull away and that I was in control if the race had continued. The bike was very fast and I felt comfortable. I’m really happy to finish the weekend in a positive way, and I’m looking forward to the next round to keep building on this.”

Philipp Oettl

Albert Arenas – P2

“It was a tricky race today. The track conditions in the first lap were not great as it was quite wet, and then there was some more rain during the race but not a lot. Despite this I was quite calm and steady and felt I managed the first laps well. I was in a good position, and I was happy to be in second behind Philip in the middle of the race. As the fuel tank got emptier, my bike was starting tow ork even better so it is a shame we could not have the final fight because of the red flag as I believe I could have won today – however I am super happy for Philip because I have known him for a long time. It’s also good for Yamaha with two bikes on the podium, so we will work hard for the next race and try to continue how we have started the year.”

Rain before the start changes the opening phase

WorldSSP’s final race of the weekend began under the sort of conditions that promised uncertainty. The official session log shows drops of rain reported in sectors 2 to 4 before the start and a white flag before lights out, which helps explain how tightly packed the early laps were. Arenas led lap one, Öncü then took over and controlled the race from laps two to five, Zaccone briefly led lap six, and Öncü resumed at the front from laps seven to nine. Oettl only took command on lap 10, but once he did, he held it to the flag.

Booth-Amos quick again, Bayliss crashes out

Tom Booth-Amos backed up Saturday’s podium with fourth on Sunday and also set the fastest lap of the race, a 1m37.145s on lap eight.

Tom Booth-Amos

Tom Booth-Amos – P4

“I’m happy to be fast again this weekend which boosts my confidence going into the next few rounds. The feeling with the bike was good and what I needed to be fighting back at the front. The podium yesterday was great but, of course, a little bit disappointed that today’s race was cut short – but that’s racing and I hope everyone is okay. Now we look ahead to Balaton in a few weeks and continue this momentum.”

Tom Booth-Amos

Zaccone was fifth, while Masiá came through for sixth after again looking capable of more in the second half of the race.

Debise wound up seventh, Alcoba eighth and Mahias 10th after starting the race among the front few.

Oli Bayliss’ Sunday ended almost immediately with a crash at Turn 18 on lap two, putting the PTR Triumph rider out after what had already been a difficult weekend.

Oli Bayliss

Oli Bayliss – DNF

“It’s been a difficult weekend in Assen. We were chasing a feeling on Friday and then had a back of the grid penalty on Saturday for race one which made things difficult. The race today was better, the feeling with the bike was good but a small crash finished our Sunday race too early. I’m looking forward to one of my favourite rounds at Balaton in a few weeks.”

Title race tightens again

The championship now looks properly compressed. Masiá leaves Assen still leading on 106 points, but Arenas is only one point behind on 105, while Oettl’s win lifts him to third on 79. Debise sits fourth on 72, Mahias fifth on 54 and Öncü sixth on 52. Ducati still leads Yamaha in the manufacturers’ standings, but only by 21 points. So although Oettl took the headline and the breakthrough win, the bigger long-game story out of Assen may be how little margin remains between Masiá and Arenas

WorldSSP Race Two Results

WorldSSP Championship Points

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WorldSPB Race Two

Fleerackers wins the last-lap brawl
Thompson finishes in the lead group

World Sportbike again delivered the closest finish of the day. Ferre Fleerackers took his first class victory by 0.097s from Matteo Vannucci, with Jeffrey Buis only another 0.113s back in third. David Salvador finished fourth, Kas Beekmans fifth and Xavi Artigas sixth, with just 1.078s covering the top six after 12 laps. For Fleerackers and Track & Trades Wixx Racing it completed a particularly strong Assen, the Belgian following Saturday’s fastest lap and Sunday pole-equivalent grid slot with the first win of his WorldSPB campaign.

WorldSPB Finish

Ferre Fleerackers – P1

“I made a really strong start from pole position and stayed at the front early on. When Jeffrey passed me a few riders followed him so I focused on getting back to the front as quickly as possible. I learned from yesterday that it’s not ideal to be leading in the final corners, so I tried to position myself as best as possible for the last lap. It worked perfectly in the end and it’s amazing to take my first win in only the second round of the Championship. It’s also special because this is the closest race to home for me and I have a lot of friends and family here. To be on the podium together with Jeffrey here in Assen is something really special.”

WorldSPB Podium

Lead keeps changing all race

The lap-leader chart tells the story of how unsettled the race remained. Buis led the opening lap, Fleerackers then controlled laps two and three, Buis resumed on laps four and five, Fleerackers led again on lap six, Buis took lap seven, Fleerackers was back ahead for laps eight and nine, Vannucci led lap 10, Buis led lap 11, and Fleerackers took the only lap that truly mattered — the last one. That matched the series summary, which described Fleerackers moving from third to first on the final lap, making his decisive move at Turn 14 before holding firm to the flag.

Aprilia gets a first podium, Kove keeps moving

Vannucci’s second place gave Aprilia its first podium in the class, another useful sign of how broad the category remains in terms of competitive machinery. Salvador’s fourth kept Kawasaki at the front of the championship, Beekmans kept Suzuki strongly represented in fifth, and Artigas made it three Kawasakis in the top six. Benat Fernandez missed the top 10 in 11th, but his 1m42.190s on lap four stood as a new race fastest lap record and showed again that Kove’s pace ceiling is rising even if the results are still catching up.

Thompson far closer to the win than the result sheet might first suggest

Carter Thompson finished ninth, but only 2.031s from the win and 0.095s behind Loris Veneman in eighth. That again underlined how tight the class remains and how firmly the Australian is now operating well inside the front group rather than on its edge, but appears to be held back a little as the Yamaha looks a little down on grunt compared to the opposition. It will be interesting to see how the balancing measures by organisers are amended as the season progresses.

Championship chase

Salvador leaves Assen still leading the standings on 69 points, with Buis second on 64 and Fleerackers up to third on 59. Kawasaki heads Suzuki by seven in the manufacturers’ standings.

WorldSPB Race Two Results

WorldSPB Championship Points

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WorldWCR Race Two

Neila beats Herrera in the last chicane

WorldWCR again revolved around Maria Herrera and Beatriz Neila, but this time Neila came away with the win. Starting from pole for Race 2, she finally broke through for her first victory of the season by passing Herrera in the last chicane and taking the flag by 0.170s. The official lap chart shows just how late it was decided: Herrera led laps one to four, Neila briefly got through on lap five, Herrera resumed control from lap six through lap 11, and Neila only reclaimed the lead on the final lap. Her 1m47.132s on lap 11 also set a new race fastest-lap record.

WorldWCR Race Two Start

Beatriz Neila – P1

“It was a little bit difficult today as it started to rain mid-race. I started the season with some issues and so to win today really means a lot. I feel like I have the flow and am more confident and relaxed in my riding. When it started to rain, I thought maybe I should be a bit more careful but, in the end, I went for the win. I studied Maria to see where I could pass, but she kept closing the door through the final corner. I waited patiently for my moment and was able to get it done right at the very end. I had no clue if I could make it stick and if I’d finish first or second! So, I’m very happy with the result, and this win goes to all my supporters.”

Maria Herrera – P2

“The points we’ve taken today are very important. It was difficult in the rain, but I wanted to push and try to build a gap. I did that together with Beatriz, who was very quick in certain sectors. I think I managed the race well, just not the last corner! But I’m very happy with the result anyway. I came into the round with an injury and so didn’t expect to be fastest right from the start. I’m happy to leave here with good points, but the championship is long, so we need to keep working.”

WorldWCR Race Two

Boudesseul cashes in, Ponziani stays solid

Behind the leading pair, Lucie Boudesseul produced one of the better rides of the race to climb from seventh on the grid to finish third, scoring her first podium of the season.

Lucie Boudesseul – P3

“The race today was crazy with the rain. After the crash in Race 1, I had a plan in my mind that I wanted to lead the group and build a gap, and that’s exactly what I did. So, I’m happy to be back on the podium, my first top three of the year. I lost a lot of points between crashing at Portimao and again yesterday, so the podium gives me solid points but also gives me the confidence to know I can do it again!”

Roberta Ponziani backed up Saturday’s third with fourth, Muklada Sarapuech repeated her fifth place from Race 1, and Chloe Jones ended another strong weekend in sixth. Cerpa recovered from Saturday’s penalty-hit race to finish seventh, while Pakita Ruiz and Mallory Dobbs completed the top 10.

Relph rides through the pain, Ramos cannot start

From an Australian point of view, the key story was Tayla Relph even making the grid. After Saturday’s heavy Turn 1 crash and the left ankle and foot contusions it left behind, Relph gritted her teeth and came through to eighth, only 0.042s behind Cerpa and just 17.495s off the winner in a race where the top two were on a different pace to the rest. It was a determined ride in the circumstances.

The flip side came for Paola Ramos, who had been one of the weekend’s sharper contenders but was ruled unfit after the hand injury she sustained in Saturday’s crash.

Herrera still leads, but Neila has finally struck back

Although Neila got the Sunday win, Herrera still leaves Assen with the championship advantage. She now has 90 points to Neila’s 77, with Ponziani third on 52, Ramos fourth on 45 and Sarapuech fifth on 34.

Relph is just outside the top ten, but this season shows the pace to progress towards regular podium challenges, with the potential for a championship top-five if things go her way.

WorldWCR Race Two Results

WorldWCR Championship Points