Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2025 Hungarian WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2025 Hungarian WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose

2025 Hungarian WorldSBK: Race 1 As It Happened

Live coverage of Race 1 at the Hungarian WorldSBK from Balaton Park.

The Hungarian WorldSBK at Balaton Park marks the eighth stop on the 2025 World Superbike calendar and the series' first visit to Hungary since 1990.

Race 1 is set to get underway this afternoon at 14:00 local time.

Sam Lowes was fastest in FP2 on Friday and FP3 this morning. Yesterday, only he and Toprak Razgatlioglu lapped in the 1:39s; this morning they were the only two in the 1:38s.

Razgatlioglu comes into this weekend defending a three-point lead in the riders' standings over Nicolo Bulega, who was ninth in FP2 yesterday and sixth this morning, and who had led the standings at every point this season before Razgatliogu's Race 2 win at Donington.

In Superpole, it was Razgatlioglu who took pole position ahead of Lowes and Andrea Locatelli. Nicolo Bulega will start fourth alongside Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona.

26 Jul 2025
14:15
Gardner unfit

Remy Gardner has now been declared unfit so will miss tomorrow's races.

13:59
Gardner

Update on Gardner: he is going to be transported to hospital for further assessments. Diagnosed with a back contusion, and suspected concussion.

13:58
Toprak Razgatlioglu wins Race 1

Toprak Razgatlioglu takes his seventh straight win in WorldSBK in Race 1 at Balaton.

Bulega a solid second, Bautista third.

Locatelli, Petrucci, Lowes round out the top-six.

Montella, Vierge, Gerloff, Bassani round out the top-10.

13:56
Lap 19/20

Razgatlioglu leads onto the last lap, around 4s clear of Bulega.

Bautista still comfortably in third, then Locatelli, Petrucci, Lowes. The latter two there still right together with one to go.

13:53
Lap 17/20

Front three all lapping more or less identically, high-39s, low-40s. So, with 3 to go there's not going to be much change there.

Locatelli 5s back from Bautista now but 2.5s clear of Petrucci, who still has Lowes for company - 0.5s behind.

13:51

After remounting from the first crash, Rea has crashed again, this time at turn four. He's out now, quite some damage to the bike.

13:51
Lap 16/20

4 to go now and Razgatlioglu has this under control, still around that 3.5-second mark over Bulega.

Further back, Alex Lowes made a mistake at turn five and allowed Petrucci through into fifth. Been a good ride from Lowes until that, but he's still there in the top-six.

13:49
Rea OUT

Rea has crashed at turn one from eighth place. He was battling hard in that group. He's back on the bike down in 18th.

13:48
Lap 14

Gap at the front down to 3.5s now, but Razgatlioglu back down to a 1:40.1 that time which was a bit better. Bulega still with 2s over Bautista.

6 laps to go.

13:46

Actually a 1:39.8 that time from Bulega, 0.6s faster even than Razgatlioglu who dropped to a 1:40.4. We'll see this lap if that is a consistent drop from Razgatlioglu with 7 to go.

13:46
Lap 13/20

Bautista's late race pace beginning to be a factor, he's able now to lap in the 1:39s. But he needs some drop-off from Bulega, who is still in 1:40.0-1:40.1 to be able to catch his teammate.

13:42
Lap 11/20

Bautista has pulled away from Locatelli, who in turn has extended his gap over Lowes, who still has Petrucci for company.

13:41
Lap 10/20

4s now for Razgatlioglu, Bulega 2s clear of Bautista. Locatelli then still ahead of Lowes and Petrucci.

6s back then to Rea, Vierge, Montella, and Gerloff battling for 7th.

13:39
Lap 9/20

Bautista made his move for third that lap, but the battle isn't over yet becasue Alex Lowes and Danilo Petrucci are close behind Locatelli now.

13:38
Lap 8/20

Bulega a tenth faster than Razgatlioglu that time, gap is still 3.7s.

Locatelli 1.8s behind Bulega, but Bautista is coming on strong now and only a couple of tenths behind.

13:36
Lap 7/20

Razgatlioglu responds to the time he lost to Lowes on the last lap with a new fastest lap, a 1:39.732.

He's now 3.7s clear of the field.

13:35
Sam Lowes OUT

Sam Lowes has crashed at turn two. He'd taken a couple of tenths from Razgatlioglu the previous lap, but it's another crash from P2 for Lowes.

Bulega up to P2 and Locatelli third now after that crash.

13:34
Bulega up to third

Bulega up to third at the same place Lowes made his move a lap ago.

13:33
Lap 5/20

Almost 3s now for Razgatlioglu. Bulega now trying to pass Locatelli, and Lowes is still not too far away from the two Italians after making his move.

13:32

Now Lowes makes his move at turn five. Just in time, because Bulega is right there.

13:31

Locatelli super-strong on the brakes at turn one, which looks like Lowes' best opportunity to get through on the Yamaha.

13:31
Lap 4/20

Razgatlioglu now over 2s clear of Locatelli.

Bulega closing the gap to Locatelli and Lowes ahead.

Petrucci now up to eighth, Rea the next rider on his list.

13:30
Lap 3/20

Razgatlioglu continues to lead. Bulega has cleared Bautista at the last of the three chicanes.

Lowes has passed Rea for sixth.