Bulega completes Assen hat-trick as Ducati locks out top six

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.

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

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Speed

N. Bulega

Duc

32m58.347

298.3Km/h

I. Lecuona

Duc

+2.724

298.3Km/h

S. Lowes

Duc

+5.257

294.3Km/h

A. Bautista

Duc

+8.941

300.8Km/h

Y. Montella

Duc

+9.845

300.0Km/h

L. Baldassarri

Duc

+12.872

296.7Km/h

X. Vierge

Yam

+17.363

296.7Km/h

A. Locatelli

Yam

+18.294

295.9Km/h

D. Petrucci

BMW

+19.054

297.5Km/h

T. Mackenzie

Duc

+21.924

299.2Km/h

A. Lowes

Bim

+22.304

295.1Km/h

M. Oliveira

BMW

+24.570

304.2Km/h

A. Bassani

Bim

+25.291

297.5Km/h

R. Gardner

Yam

+25.391

295.9Km/h

S. Manzi

Yam

+25.394

295.1Km/h

T. Bridewell

Duc

+26.979

296.7Km/h

A. Surra

Duc

+30.923

299.2Km/h

G. Gerloff

Kaw

+31.060

300.0Km/h

J. Rea

Hon

+36.230

293.5Km/h

B. Sofuoglu

Yam

+38.452

292.7Km/h

M. Rato

Yam

+49.397

292.7Km/h

T. Smits

Yam

+56.266

286.5Km/h

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

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Speed

N. Bulega

Duc

15m35.366

291.9Km/h

I. Lecuona

Duc

+1.742

297.5Km/h

S. Lowes

Duc

+2.632

295.1Km/h

A. Bautista

Duc

+6.219

298.3Km/h

A. Lowes

Bim

+6.373

295.1Km/h

X. Vierge

Yam

+9.318

296.7Km/h

D. Petrucci

BMW

+9.432

296.7Km/h

Y. Montella

Duc

+9.433

300.8Km/h

A. Locatelli

Yam

+11.347

294.3Km/h

R. Gardner

Yam

+11.590

294.3Km/h

M. Oliveira

BMW

+12.170

304.2Km/h

A. Surra

Duc

+14.379

300.0Km/h

L. Baldassarri

Duc

+15.384

298.3Km/h

G. Gerloff

Kaw

+15.429

300.8Km/h

T. Bridewell

Duc

+16.749

295.9Km/h

S. Manzi

Yam

+16.856

292.7Km/h

J. Rea

Hon

+18.759

294.3Km/h

A. Bassani

Bim

+21.090

296.7Km/h

M. Rato

Yam

+25.517

290.3Km/h

B. Sofuoglu

Yam

+25.532

291.1Km/h

T. Smits

Yam

+27.932

286.5Km/h

Not Classified

RET

T. Mackenzie

Duc

6 Laps

297.5Km/h

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

Pos

Rider

Points

N. Bulega

186

I. Lecuona

117

S. Lowes

M. Oliveira

A. Lowes

A. Bassani

A. Bautista

L. Baldassarri

Y. Montella

A. Locatelli

D. Petrucci

X. Vierge

T. Mackenzie

G. Gerloff

R. Gardner

A. Surra

S. Manzi

T. Nagashima

T. Bridewell

J. Rea

S. Chantra

B. Sofuoglu

R. Vickers

WorldSBK Quotes

Nicolo Bulega – P1 Championship – 186-points

“I didn’t make the perfect start and Sam and Iker overtook me on the first lap. After that I stayed calm and studied where I could pass them. It was a fantastic race and I made some good overtakes. I didn’t make any big mistakes and my race pace was very strong, so we improved the feeling from yesterday and I’m happy about that. I’m in a good place mentally. I know I can be fast in all conditions, and that’s very important. Winning 13 races in a row gives you a lot of confidence and motivation for the next races.”

Iker Lecuona – P2 Championship – 117-points

“I’m really happy. We did a strong job throughout the weekend. At times I struggled, other times I felt more comfortable. After the Superpole Race we decided to try something new with the bike, which we hadn’t tested before, and in the end it worked well. I had two big moments at Turn 12 where I almost crashed, losing a bit of time, but overall I’m satisfied. Nicolo is still a bit faster, but I know this is one of his best tracks. Let’s see if we can fight for first position in the next races.”

Sam Lowes – P3 Championship – 82-points

“I think Nicolo had a bit of an advantage, and Iker slightly less, but I’m happy to be fighting close to them. At the moment they are the reference, both rider and team, so it’s positive for us to be in that group. This track suits us well and the Ducatis were strong all weekend, but I was able to stay close and battle with them, and also to qualify ahead of one of them. I tried to be smart and consistent, especially after two good races, to finish the weekend in a strong way. It’s been a very positive Sunday and I’m proud of the job we’ve done.”

Miguel Oliveira
Miguel Oliveira – P4 Championship – 69-points

“It was a tough weekend for us. We know Assen is always a bit of a challenge, but we fought hard. The team gave absolutely everything to put the best possible bike out there on track, but it was still challenging. Without a good qualifying, we were left mid-pack and we didn’t optimise the result. Yesterday was kind of okay, but today it was even more difficult to move forward through the field. Still, we’re heading to a new track where we know the bike can work well, so we’re looking forward to that, and as always, we’ll be ready to fight.”

Alex Lowes – P5 Championship – 69-points

“The Superpole Race was good. I slowed down a little bit when it started to rain a little, but I had a good start. I was happy with the pace and set the best lap I have done here at Assen. The bike was working well. I was nearly in the mix with the leading bikes and trying to hold Alvaro Bautista off. He was a bit stronger and passed me near the end of the race. Then I was trying to stay with him to try to come back. I was happy with the race and happy with the speed. In Race Two, I had a good start again, put myself in a strong position, and had a few good laps trying to go with the Ducatis. After about five laps, I had a big problem with vibration and sliding from the rear. From there on, I was just trying to finish the race. We have to check why we had this problem. Other than that, over the whole weekend, I felt like I maximised our package well. Apart from the last 14 laps of the second race, I think we did a good job. I am trying to take the positive points and move forward for Balaton Park.”

Axel Bassani
Axel Bassani – P6 Championship – 67-points

“In general, it has been a difficult weekend – and also being ill was not the best solution! We finished the Superpole race with things being quite difficult. My feeling with the set-up was not really good, and then we had a long lap penalty. When you have that, then the race is completely finished. In Race Two, honestly, I was feeling quite good with the bike and I felt like I also had more pace than the riders in front of me. But it was really difficult to overtake. I tried it sometimes, but every time I was going long. I had to adapt to the pace that the riders were setting in front. In the end, I took some points. Now we have to work for Balaton and come back a little bit more strongly.”

Álvaro Bautista – P7 Championship – 59-points

“Very positive day. Beyond the result, where we achieved the maximum possible, the most important thing is that the changes we made to the bike allowed me to feel more comfortable in the opening laps, both in the Superpole Race and Race 2. We improved the feeling compared to yesterday and, step by step, we are closing the gap to the front. It’s been a very positive weekend in terms of work done and we collected good results. A great Sunday for the whole team, with both riders in the top 5, congratulations to everyone. Hopefully this is just the beginning to reach our maximum performance. I want to thank all the team members for their great work and focus throughout the weekend. Let’s keep going like this.”

Lorenzo Baldassarri
Lorenzo Baldassarri – P8 Championship – 58-points

“This afternoon in race 2 I really enjoyed myself. I managed to make a lot of overtakes despite some contact on the first lap. Expectations were a bit higher here on Friday, but in the end we confirmed our speed and achieved our goal. The pace this Sunday was excellent, I felt good on the bike, and I’m satisfied with the result. I think I’ve almost completely resolved the forearm problem; I didn’t suffer here. Now I’m going to rest a bit, but not too much because we’ll be back on track soon at Balaton. For me, it’s best to get back on the bike straight away, so I can’t wait. I have to thank the whole team and the people who work with me; I think our level is rising race after race!”

Yari Montella – P9 Championship – 48-points

“I’m very happy with today. Overall, it’s been a positive weekend, we improved from Friday to today and that was important. I’m satisfied with how I managed three completely different races. Yesterday’s Race 1 was a group race, in the Superpole Race I recovered and fought, while in Race 2 I kept a good pace behind Álvaro. It was crucial to complete a full weekend without mistakes, continuing to work on both the setup and confidence with the bike. Considering how things were yesterday after qualifying, today we turned it around well and I’m very happy.”

Andrea Locatelli
Andrea Locatelli – P10 Championship – 44-points

“Race 2 was a bit unlucky, I’m disappointed because at the beginning one rider put me out of the track at the last chicane – so I lost a lot of positions and a lot of time. I tried to recover but it was not easy in the first laps because the pace was fast, then step-by-step and lap-by-lap I was improving. I found my rhythm and I was able to recover and finish in a good position – still not where I want to be, but in any case, we know that we are working hard and compared to the previous weekends in Portimao and Phillip Island, we did a much better job. I don’t want to say that we have are back, but for sure we have made a step, I enjoyed the races and it looks like we understand where we were struggling before. Let’s see what can happen in Hungary, it was a good track for me last year.”

Danilo Petrucci
Danilo Petrucci – P11 Championship – 41-points

“This weekend was crazy. I immediately felt good on the bike, and I’m starting to really enjoy it. Superpole qualifying was really good: I enjoyed the bike and put in a good lap time. Then yesterday there was the penalty for the jump start. I’m not sure I actually did a jump start, but the rules are the rules. I think the penalty was too long and not really fair, especially since I didn’t gain any position. But anyway, today we were able to score some points. We fought, and we can look at the positive side. I think our bike will work really well in the next two rounds. I enjoy those tracks, so we have to focus on the positives. For sure, we’re still working on the bike, so there’s still potential. I can’t wait to ride the bike again as soon as possible.”

Xavi Vierge
Xavi Vierge – P12 Championship – 34-points

“After the race of yesterday, we learnt a lot! It was a hard night for me, I did a lot of thinking – I thought about 2,000 better starts and 2,000 better races overnight! In the Superpole Race, I had a good start in the front group and this helped to take the maximum of my riding style. We tried to fight until the end for a good position and in the last corner I was able to overtake Petrucci for sixth. Then again, in the long race I made a good start and I was trying to go with the front six, until the last four laps when my front tyre was destroyed. Even like this, it was a solid weekend and it’s only the third round together with Yamaha. Of course, we were expecting more but we need to take the positives. I think the team and myself are doing a good job, we are understanding our way and improving. Race 1 yesterday was not the best for the tyres, but we always can learn and improve – we need to discover where the limit is in all the aspects. I’m happy, thank you so much to the team for all their hard work and now, we will move forward together to Balaton.”

Remy Gardner
Remy Gardner – P15 Championship – 16-points

“This wasn’t the weekend we were aiming for, but today we pushed hard and tried a few changes. The Superpole Race was decent, and it’s a shame to have missed out on the top nine at the final corner. In Race 2, our early pace was quite strong, but I struggled more in the latter stages and lost a couple of positions. Now we focus on what’s ahead — the potential is there, and we’re determined to show it.”

Stefano Manzi
Stefano Manzi – P17 Championship – 8-points

“It wasn’t a bad way to end the weekend. Of course, we’re aiming for more, but we have to take the positives from each round, and the progress we made here is encouraging. We took a step forward in the Superpole Race and improved further in Race 2, finishing on a positive note. We’ll build from here and head into the next round with confidence, knowing there’s still plenty of room to improve.”

Jonathan Rea
Jonathan Rea – P20 Championship – 4-points

“I actually enjoyed Race 2, or at least the first half of it, because even though I got a bad start, I was able to make some passes and find a good rhythm. It was the fastest I’ve been all weekend, lapping in the mid-1’34s. The pace was good and I felt comfortable. But around lap 11 or 12, I started to struggle with the front tyre. I had a few moments and then found it difficult to turn because I wasn’t loading the tyre in the same way. To be honest, I was kind of in survival mode at the end, which was frustrating because physically I felt good. The guys made some good setup changes right from Free Practice 1 and we worked well to explore some options with the bike. If we had to come back tomorrow, of course we already have more ideas to try in order to be faster at the end of the race. I know the result doesn’t really reflect it, but we made some progress this weekend. Now the weekend is done, I want to wish Somkiat all the best in his recovery, and Jake as well. Hopefully they can be back on board at Balaton.”

Somkiat Chantra – P21 Championship – 1-point

“I’m so sorry for the team that I couldn’t race this weekend. In FP3 I had a crash and the bike hit my right leg. It hurts a lot, and so I couldn’t ride in this condition. But I want to thank everyone for their support. I will try to recover fast and be back for Balaton.”

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

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Speed

P. Oettl

Duc

20m47.548

260.9Km/h

A. Arenas

Yam

+0.403

255.9Km/h

C. Oncu

Yam

+1.166

255.9Km/h

T. Booth-Amos

Tri

+1.359

267.3Km/h

A. Zaccone

Duc

+1.460

259.0Km/h

J. Masia

Duc

+1.919

260.9Km/h

V. Debise

Zxm

+2.132

259.6Km/h

J. Alcoba

Kaw

+2.207

264.1Km/h

M. Casadei

Duc

+2.521

261.5Km/h

L. Mahias

Yam

+2.856

257.8Km/h

S. Jespersen

Duc

+2.993

261.5Km/h

F. Farioli

Yam

+4.616

257.8Km/h

M. Ferrari

Duc

+5.733

263.4Km/h

A. Mahendra

Yam

+1 Sector

259.6Km/h

D. Aegerter

Kaw

+0.004

260.2Km/h

F. Caricasulo

Zxm

+2.593

257.1Km/h

R. De Rosa

Qjm

+0.714

256.5Km/h

O. Vostatek

Tri

+5.433

251.7Km/h

D. Geiger

Yam

+0.542

264.1Km/h

M. Ramirez

Qjm

+1 Sector

256.5Km/h

J. Kennedy

Hon

+1 Sector

251.2Km/h

A. Kofler

Yam

+6.589

250.6Km/h

J. Whatley

Duc

+0.270

254.1Km/h

L. Taccini

Duc

+3.294

257.1Km/h

O. Konig

Tri

+0.506

252.3Km/h

X. Cardelus

Yam

+0.201

253.5Km/h

Y. Okamoto

Yam

+5.338

251.7Km/h

R. Rossi

Duc

+1 Sector

253.5Km/h

B. Jimenez

Duc

+0.188

254.1Km/h

A. Giombini

Mva

+2.097

252.3Km/h

A. Carrasco

Hon

+8.330

248.3Km/h

J. Cretaro

Mva

+0.379

250.6Km/h

Not Classified

R. Garcia

Yam

–

257.1Km/h

RET

O. Bayliss

Tri

DNF

257.8Km/h

WorldSSP Championship Points

Pos

Rider

Points

J. Masia

106

A. Arenas

105

P. Oettl

V. Debise

L. Mahias

C. Oncu

A. Zaccone

J. Alcoba

R. Garcia

T. Booth-Amos

M. Ferrari

A. Mahendra

O. Bayliss

S. Jespersen

D. Aegerter

C. Perolari

M. Casadei

F. Farioli

A. Giombini

O. Vostatek

F. Caricasulo

J. Whatley

X. Cardelus

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

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Speed

F. Fleerackers

Suz

20m44.185

229.3Km/h

M. Vannucci

Apr

+0.097

226.4Km/h

J. Buis

Suz

+0.210

233.3Km/h

D. Salvador

Kaw

+0.398

224.5Km/h

K. Beekmans

Suz

+0.555

228.8Km/h

X. Artigas

Kaw

+1.078

226.9Km/h

B. Ieraci

Tri

+1.891

225.9Km/h

L. Veneman

Kaw

+1.936

228.3Km/h

C. Thompson

Yam

+2.031

229.3Km/h

A. Torres

Kaw

+2.136

230.8Km/h

B. Fernandez

Kov

+2.225

228.8Km/h

M. Gaggi

Yam

+2.591

229.3Km/h

H. Dessoy

Tri

+11.745

232.3Km/h

E. Bartolini

Tri

+15.414

228.3Km/h

M. Gennai

Yam

+15.456

227.4Km/h

J. Correa

Kaw

+15.491

227.4Km/h

J. Osuna

Kaw

+15.731

224.5Km/h

H. Maier

Yam

+18.842

224.1Km/h

G. Sanchez

Yam

+19.057

229.3Km/h

P. Tonn

Kov

+19.100

231.3Km/h

T. Aksu

Yam

+19.532

227.8Km/h

J. Risueno

Kaw

+19.767

228.3Km/h

A. Fuertes

Kaw

+21.948

225.9Km/h

I. Peristeras

Apr

+22.117

227.8Km/h

F. Seabright

Tri

+23.282

229.8Km/h

A. Di Persio

Yam

+24.674

228.3Km/h

A. Agaska

Yam

+25.555

227.8Km/h

T. Benetti

Apr

+28.781

222.7Km/h

I. Schunselaar

Yam

+37.824

227.8Km/h

T. Sovicka

Yam

+47.469

225.9Km/h

Not Classified

RET

M. Sorrenti

Apr

7 Laps

222.7Km/h

RET

T. Alonso

Yam

9 Laps

222.2Km/h

RET

G. Cazard

Yam

DNF

226.9Km/h

F. Mulya

Yam

DNS

225.0Km/h

WorldSPB Championship Points

Pos

Rider

Points

D. Salvador

J. Buis

F. Fleerackers

X. Artigas

A. Torres

M. Vannucci

L. Veneman

B. Ieraci

E. Bartolini

K. Beekmans

D. Poncet

C. Thompson

M. Gaggi

A. Fuertes

B. Fernandez

H. Dessoy

M. Gennai

A. Di Persio

J. Osuna

T. Benetti

M. Sorrenti

G. Sanchez

J. Risueno

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

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Speed

B. Neila

Yam

21m49.169

201.9Km/h

M. Herrera

Yam

+0.170

202.2Km/h

L. Boudesseul

Yam

+9.538

205.3Km/h

R. Ponziani

Yam

+16.773

206.1Km/h

M. Sarapuech

Yam

+17.249

206.1Km/h

C. Jones

Yam

+17.351

210.5Km/h

Y. Cerpa

Yam

+17.453

208.5Km/h

T. Relph

Yam

+17.495

208.9Km/h

P. Ruiz

Yam

+17.567

204.2Km/h

M. Dobbs

Yam

+17.661

206.5Km/h

N. Rivera

Yam

+29.754

204.5Km/h

A. Madrigal

Yam

+29.855

206.9Km/h

S. Sanchez

Yam

+30.134

204.9Km/h

D. Dal Zotto

Yam

+39.908

202.6Km/h

E. Bondi

Yam

+40.000

206.1Km/h

M. Guarino

Yam

+40.585

206.1Km/h

L. Vieillard

Yam

+40.901

202.6Km/h

I. Carreno

Yam

+41.095

209.7Km/h

A. Barale

Yam

+41.102

206.5Km/h

A. Ourednickova

Yam

+41.850

208.5Km/h

P. Sowa

Yam

+42.313

206.9Km/h

B. Scheffer

Yam

+49.997

207.3Km/h

K. Hand

Yam

+50.162

207.3Km/h

K. Danak

Yam

+58.803

206.9Km/h

L. Michel

Yam

1 Lap

205.7Km/h

WorldWCR Championship Points

Pos

Rider

Points

M. Herrera

B. Neila

R. Ponziani

P. Ramos

M. Sarapuech

N. Rivera

L. Boudesseul

C. Jones

P. Ruiz

Y. Cerpa

T. Relph

S. Sanchez

A. Madrigal

K. Danak

D. Dal Zotto

A. Barale

L. Vieillard

M. Dobbs

I. Carreno

P. Sowa

L. Michel

K. Hand

A. Ourednickova

E. Bondi

2026 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship calendar

……Date…….

Country

Circuit

WorldSBK

WorldSSP

WorldSPB

20-22 Feb

AUS

Phillip Island GP

27-29 Mar

POR

Portimao

17-19 Apr

NED

TT Assen

1-3 May

HUN

Balaton Park

15-17 May

CZE

Most

29-31 May

ESP

MotorLand Aragon

12-14 Jun

ITA

Misano – Marco Simoncelli

10-12 Jul

Donington Park

4-6 Sep

FRA

Nevers Magny-Cours

25-27 Sep

ITA

Cremona

9-11 Oct

POR

Estoril

16-18 Oct

ESP

Jerez – Angel Nieto*

2026 World Superbike Championship Entry List

Rider

Bike

Team

I.Lecuona

Duc

Aruba.It Ducati

N.Bulega

Duc

Aruba.It Ducati

D.Petrucci

BMW

ROKiT BMW Motorrad

M.Oliveira

BMW

ROKiT BMW Motorrad

A.Locatelli

Yam

Pata Maxus Yamaha

X.Vierge

Yam

Pata Maxus Yamaha

Y.Montella

Duc

Barni Spark

A.Bautista

Duc

Barni Spark

A.Lowes

Bim

bimota by Kawasaki

A.Bassani

Bim

bimota by Kawasaki

S.Chantra

Hon

Honda HRC

J.Dixon

Hon

Honda HRC

S.Manzi

Yam

GYTR GRT Yamaha

R.Gardner

Yam

GYTR GRT Yamaha

S.Lowes

Duc

ELF Marc VDS

L.Baldassarri

Duc

Goeleven

T.Mackenzie

Duc

MGM Racing

G.Gerloff

Kaw

Kawasaki WorldSBK

A.Surra

Duc

Motocorsa

M.Rato

Yam

Motoxracing

B.Sofuoglu

Yam

Motoxracing

A.Iannone

Duc

Cainam Racing

Bulega completes Assen hat-trick as Ducati locks out top six

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