Toprak Razgatlioglu etched his name in the annals of World Superbike history by clinching the 2024 WorldSBK Championship title following an exhilarating Jerez Race 1 dominated by Nicolo Bulega.
This victory marks Razgatlioglu’s second championship title, following his first in 2021, and it comes in a season that has showcased his remarkable talent and resilience, particularly as he rides for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad team for the first time.
Jerez Race 1 unfolded under sunny skies at the Circuito de Jerez, where anticipation was palpable among fans and teams alike. Nicolo Bulega, riding for Aruba.it Racing Ducati, started from pole position and wasted no time establishing his dominance.
As the lights turned green, Bulega launched off the line with precision, quickly creating a gap between himself and the rest of the field. His pace was blistering, consistently clocking laps in the 1:40s, which proved too much for his rivals to handle.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, aware that a second-place finish would secure him the championship regardless of Bulega’s performance, initially pushed hard to keep pace with the leader.
However, as the race progressed, he strategically eased off, allowing Bulega to pull away while maintaining a comfortable margin over third place. This tactical decision underscored Razgatlioglu’s maturity as a racer; he prioritized the championship over the immediate thrill of victory.
Behind the two front-runners, Andrea Locatelli finished third marking his first podium since earlier in the season at Phillip Island. Locatelli’s performance was crucial for Yamaha, which has struggled throughout this season.
Alex Lowes also had a commendable outing, finishing fourth on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. Lowes is engaged in a battle for fourth place in the overall standings and his strong performance at Jerez not only bolstered his position but also showcased Kawasaki’s competitive spirit in this final round of the championship.
Iker Lecuona finished fifth for Team HRC Honda, demonstrating impressive form as he battled through a tightly contested field. His teammate Xavi Vierge followed closely behind in seventh place, with BMW’s Michael van der Mark splitting the duo in sixth.
Meanwhile, Axel Bassani’s strong finish in eighth further solidified Kawasaki’s impressive form while GYTR GRT Yamaha’s Dominique Aegerter and BMW’s Garrett Gerloff rounded out the top ten. Jonathan Rea was 11th, Sam Lowes was 13th, Scott Redding was 14th, Bradley Ray was 17th, Kyle Ryde was 22nd
The race saw its share of drama as well. Alvaro Bautista started from 15th on the grid but quickly made strides into the top ten before crashing on lap two. Although he managed to remount and continue racing, Bautista ultimately finished 23rd after another fall while attempting to regain positions.
This disappointing result capped off what has been a challenging season for him. Tarran Mackenzie was 24th after crashing with Tommy Bridewell.
With Toprak Razgatlioglu claiming the 2024 WorldSBK Championship title it remains to be seen how Sunday’s race will influence the standings to cap off the season.
