Toprak Razgatlioglu took pole position during World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR on the 2.74-mile (4.41 km) track, the 2024 WorldSuperbike Champion recorded a lap time of 1:34.930, which was not only good enough to top the 23-rider field and secure pole position it also eclipsed the All-Time Lap Record Bulega set, 1:35.428, during Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon.
Nicolo Bulega qualified second with a 1:35.142 on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R.
Sam Lowes did a 1:35.282 on his ELF Marc VDS Ducati Panigale V4R to earn the third and final spot on the front row.
Row two starters include Bimota by Kawasaki Team’s Alex Lowes (1:35.446), Team Pata Go Eleven’s Andrea Iannone (1:35.608), and Barni Spark Racing Ducati’s Yari Montella (1:35.628).
Danilo Petrucci finished 7th with a time of 1:35.756 on his Barni Spark Racing Ducati Panigale V4R.
American Garrett Gerloff crashed his Kawasaki ZX-10RR at turn 3 and did not qualify.
Results superpole wsbk
More from a press release issued by Dorna:
LAP RECORD OBLITERATED: Razgatlioglu sets unbelievable 1’34s lap to claim first pole at Magny-Cours. ‘El Turco’ became the first rider to lap in the 1’34s bracket at the historic French circuit to claim pole position ahead of his title rival.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) secured his first pole position at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with a stunning 1’34.930s lap time. He’s joined on the front row by title rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) for the French Round as they look to take the fight to the #1.
THE FIRST RUNS: Bulega quickest as yellow flags disrupt proceedings
The first runs were heavily disrupted by two yellow flags, caused by crashes for Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team); the pair both crashing at Turn 3 in separate incidents. Razgatlioglu was ahead of the first yellow flag as he set a 1’35.662s to go provisional P1, before being demoted by Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) after the Brit set a 1’35.446s. However, that was soon changed by Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as he set a new lap record to demote the #22 into a provisional P2.
RAZGATLIOGLU ON POLE: a new lap record for the #1
In his second run, ‘El Turco’ smashed Bulega’s previous time with a 1’35.018s to move back into P1, a tenth ahead of Bulega. That gap increased on his next lap when the #1 set a 1’34.930s – the first rider to set a 1’34s lap at Magny-Cours in WorldSBK. Bulega will line up alongside his title rival from P2 with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the front row after posting a 1’35.282s. For Razgatlioglu, it’s his first pole at the French circuit despite already having eight wins there. Bulega claimed his 16th front row start while it’s Sam Lowes’ fifth. For BMW, Magny-Cours becomes their second circuit to have three poles (Laverty, 2020; Gerloff, 2023; Razgatlioglu, 2025) after Donington (Sykes, 2019; Razgatlioglu, 2024 and 2025).
IANNONE FINDS HIS PACE: P5 for ‘The Maniac’
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was beaten to the front row by his brother but will go from fourth place after lapping half-a-second slower than Razgatlioglu. His time of 1’35.446s was under the 2023 pole record set by Gerloff. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) bounced back from a dreadful Friday to claim fifth on the grid, finishing 0.020s clear of rookie Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) in sixth.
VAN DER MARK BACK IN THE TOP TEN: Dutchman goes P8, Gardner leads Yamaha riders
Montella was ahead of teammate Danilo Petrucci, with the #5 just over a tenth clear of his more experienced teammate. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took his first top-ten Superpole result since Cremona with P8, having been as high as P2 in the first part of the 15-minute session. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished as the lead Yamaha rider in ninth with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) completing the top ten with a 1’35.912s; the final rider within a second of Razgatlioglu.
HOUSEKEEPING: Rea, Bautista out of the top ten; Sofuoglu penalised
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was 14th. The Spaniard only set a time in his second run and could only manage a 1’36.256s to line up from P14, just behind Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) in 13th. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 18th in Superpole, however he will drop three places on the grid after being given a penalty for being slow on the racing line and disturbing another rider in the last 10 minutes of FP2. He’ll therefore start 21st.
The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’34.930
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.212s
3. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.352s
4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.516s
5. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) +0.678s
6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.698s
Race 1 is up next at 14:00 Local Time (UTC+2) – don’t miss a single moment using the WorldSBK VideoPass for half price!