2025 Italian WorldSBK: Race 1 As It Happened
Live coverage of Race 1 from the 2025 Italian WorldSBK round at Cremona Circuit.
WorldSBK Race 1 at the Italian Round is scheduled for 14:00 local time.
Nicolo Bulega was fastest in both Friday practices and seems to have the best pace. He also starts from pole position after setting a new lap record in Superpole this morning.
The Italian leads the championship by 21 points over Toprak Razgatlioglu ahead of Race 1. Andrea Locatelli sits third in the standings, 29 points adrift.
Razgatlioglu starts from the back of row one in third place. Sam Lowes fills the gap between the two title rivals.
Locatelli, on the other hand, starts from the third row in eighth, between Remy Gardner and Iker Lecuona.
The leading Honda rider on the grid is Xavi Vierge in fifth. He's between Alvaro Bautista and Andrea Iannone on the second row.
It's victory for Nicolo Bulega in Race 1 at Cremona. Razgatlioglu comes home in second and Bautista a distant third.
Iannone hangs onto fourth place, albeit over 10s behind the podium places. Vierge rounds out the top-five.
No change at the front but in the battle for fourth it's now Vierge who has taken over the lead position behind Iannone from Gardner. A different challenge now for Iannone to defend from Honda's Vierge.
Bulega's gap remaining around three seconds over Razgatlioglu, really nothing changing at the front now.
Iannone still holding onto fourth place for now.
Bulega leading by almost three seconds over Razgatlioglu now with five to go.
Razgatlioglu's pace is hanging on which will give him some encouragement - this is at least much better than Assen.
Bautista seven seconds behind Razgatlioglu and nine ahead of Iannone - an incredibly lonely race for the two-time champion.
Iannone really riding very well to keep hold of that fourth place - helped by that Ducati motor of course, but he's not making many mistakes either.
Bulega now almost two seconds clear of Razgatlioglu now, who is still lapping much faster than Bautista - the Spaniard now over six seconds behind Razgatlioglu, almost nine seconds behind his teammate.
Having passed Iannone, Lecuona has crashed out at turn two. He looks okay but frustrated with himself for that mistake.
Iannone back up to fourth place now, but still a huge train behind him.
The battle for fourth is continuing, some really tough moves being put in by Lecuona and Iannone.
Iannone doesn't seem to have the pace but has been riding defensively well. Now Lecuona's past he's escaping and Gardner now putting the pressure back on the Italian who looks to be more or less out of rear grip with 9 laps still to go.
Bulega still able to do 1:29.0s, Razgatlioglu has dropped into the mid-1:29s but that is still enough to keep pulling away from Bautista who is just about managing to stay in the 1:29s.
Sam Lowes now back to 13th from the front row. He's been sick this weekend, and it seems to be taking its toll this afternoon, this is much slower pace from him than he was doing yesterday.
0.8s between the leaders now with 12 laps to go. Looks like Bulega has broken Razgatlioglu now.
The front two are lapping almost a second faster than Bautista in third. 0.4s between them over the line this time.
Bautista all alone in third, by the way, 4.5s behind the leader and almost 5s ahead of Iannone, who leads a group back to Alex Lowes in 12th.
Razgatlioglu really hanging onto Bulega. It feels like a Portimao 2023 ride from the BMW rider, putting in pace it never seemed like he should have to hang onto a chance of victory. 0.2s over the line to begin lap 10.
Bulega leads by 0.3 over the line.
Further back, Remy Gardner was briefly up to fourth past Iannone but the Italian uses the Ducati's straight line strength to respond in the back straight.
Bulega really stretching Razgatlioglu already. It felt like a matter of time before he made the move, now he's immediately imposing his pace. It's a 0.4s gap over the line to begin lap eight.
Lowes now all the way back to 13th.
Bulega now gets the lead, he makes it stick into the right hander at the end of the straight and then covers the inside of the final corner.
Further back, Sam Lowes has really suffered early on here. He's slipped back to eighth now.
Bulega tries again at the end of the back straight but Razgatlioglu holds on once more. Feels like Bulega needs to find another spot to pass.
Gabriele Ruiu has retired with what looks like a technical problem.
Razgatlioglu continues to lead over the line. Bulega tried again at the end of the straight but ran in deep.
They have almost two seconds back to Bautista.
Now Bulega makes his way through, but it's another block pass from Razgatlioglu at the final corner. Razgatlioglu knows he can't give Bulega any time in the lead at all.
Razgatlioglu leads by almost 0.4s over the line to begin lap two. Bulega tried to pass at the end of the straight but Razgatlioglu was too strong on the brakes.
Andrea Locatelli has crashed out. He seems to be okay.
Razgatlioglu to the lead at the end of lap one. He and Bulega had already pulled away from Bautista by the end of the third split, and Razgatlioglu eases Bulega aside at the final corner to lead the opening lap.
Lowes back to fifth off the start, behind Iannone now.
It's lights out in Cremona and WorldSBK Race 1 is underway!
It's a holeshot for Bulega who takes advantage of pole position. Razgatlioglu up to second and Bautista to third.
