Full 2025 Italian WorldSBK Superpole Results – Nicolo Bulega delivered a thrilling spectacle, breaking Cremona lap record to secure his second pole position in 2025.
The anticipation for the event was palpable as the World Superbike Championship returned to Italian soil with riders and teams eager to assert their dominance.
Aruba.it Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega entered the weekend as the reigning Cremona lap record holder having set a blistering 1:27.953 in the previous year’s qualifying.
However, the Italian sensation was not content to rest on his laurels and in the dying moments of Superpole he delivered a sensational lap of 1:27.866 not only securing his second pole of the 2025 season but also lowering his own lap record.
The Italian WorldSBK Superpole session began with Sam Lowes of the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team making an immediate statement.
The British rider fresh off his pole at Assen set the early benchmark with a 1:28.081. His aggressive approach on the Ducati Panigale V4 R saw him hold provisional pole for much of the session.
Meanwhile, Nicolo Bulega took a more measured approach opting for two flying laps on his initial run. Although his early efforts placed him second, three tenths adrift of Lowes, his strategy was to conserve his best for the final minutes – a decision that would ultimately pay dividends.
Andrea Iannone representing Team Pata GoEleven slotted into a provisional third while Andrea Locatelli of Pata Maxus Yamaha and Xavi Vierge from Honda HRC also posted competitive times.
The short nature of the Cremona circuit meant that every fraction of a second was fiercely contested and the top ten riders were separated by less than a second. The first run established a clear pecking order, but it was evident that the final laps would be decisive.
In the closing stages the atmosphere reached fever pitch. Riders returned to the track on fresh qualifying tires determined to extract every ounce of performance from their machines.
Bulega with the weight of expectation on his shoulders as the home favorite produced a lap that will be remembered for years to come. Navigating the technical layout of Cremona with surgical precision he stopped the clocks at 1:27.866, shattering his own record and sending the Italian fans into raptures.
This lap not only secured Bulega’s sixth career WorldSBK pole position, drawing him level with legends like Cal Crutchlow and John Kocinski but also denied Lowes what had seemed a likely second consecutive pole.
Sam Lowes despite being pushed to second could take immense pride in his performance. His 1:28.081 was just 0.215 seconds off Bulega’s record and he will start from the middle of the front row, perfectly positioned to challenge for victory in Race 1.
Completing the front row was ROKiT BMW Motorrad’s Toprak Razgatlioglu. The Turkish star had a subdued start to the session, languishing outside the top ten after his initial runs.
However, Toprak demonstrated his trademark resilience and racecraft, stringing together a late flyer to claim third with a 1:28.159, just 0.293 seconds behind Bulega.
The second row was headed by Bulega’s Aruba.it Ducati teammate Alvaro Bautista who delivered one of his best Superpole performances of the season, clocking a 1:28.369.
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Xavi Vierge emerged as the top Honda rider in fifth place ahead of Andrea Iannone who rose to the occasion in Superpole, qualifying sixth with a 1:28.531 for Team Pata GoEleven.
Remy Gardner was the top Yamaha qualifier in seventh ahead of his stablemate Andrea Locatelli who narrowly missed out on seventh by just 0.001 seconds. Iker Lecuona marked Honda HRC’s second entry, completing the third row in ninth, a mere 0.698 seconds off Bulega’s pole time.
Michael van der Mark rounded out the top ten for ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, posting a 1:28.585. Just outside the top ten was Scott Redding who qualified 11th ahead of Axel Bassani and Danilo Petrucci.
Dominique Aegerter despite a crash on his final run managed 14th for GYTR GRT Yamaha, splitting the Barni Spark entries with Yari Montella in 15th.
The British contingent experienced a mixed session. Alex Lowes could only manage 16th while six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea qualified 17th on his return to racing as he continued to adapt to his Yamaha machinery.
Garrett Gerloff placed 18th followed by Bahattin Sofuoglu and Ryan Vickers who closed out the top twenty. Tito Rabat and Tarran Mackenzie, the latter suffering a crash, occupied the final rows with Gabriele Ruiu and Zaqhwan Zaidi completing the grid.
2025 Italian WorldSBK Superpole Results – Cremona
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Bike | Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.It Racing – Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:27.866 |
| 2 | Sam Lowes | GBR | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.081 |
| 3 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW M 1000 RR | 1:28.159 |
| 4 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Aruba.It Racing – Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.369 |
| 5 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:28.495 |
| 6 | Andrea Iannone | ITA | Team Pata GoEleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.531 |
| 7 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:28.559 |
| 8 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 | 1:28.560 |
| 9 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:28.564 |
| 10 | Michael van der Mark | NED | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW M 1000 RR | 1:28.585 |
| 11 | Scott Redding | GBR | MGM Bonovo Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.644 |
| 12 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | KB998 Rimini | 1:28.760 |
| 13 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.787 |
| 14 | Dominique Aegerter | SUI | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:28.836 |
| 15 | Yari Montella | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:28.941 |
| 16 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | KB998 Rimini | 1:29.018 |
| 17 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 | 1:29.054 |
| 18 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Kawasaki WorldSBK Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1:29.070 |
| 19 | Bahattin Sofuoglu | TUR | Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:29.306 |
| 20 | Ryan Vickers | GBR | Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:29.408 |
| 21 | Tito Rabat | ESP | Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:29.425 |
| 22 | Tarran Mackenzie | GBR | Petronas MIE Honda Racing Team | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:29.878 |
| 23 | Gabriele Ruiu | ITA | Bmax | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:30.061 |
| 24 | Zaqhwan Zaidi | MAL | Petronas MIE Honda Racing Team | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:31.967 |
