WorldSBK title “difficult” for Nicolo Bulega: "My target is to win the races"

39 points separate Nicolo Bulega from Toprak Razgatlioglu in the WorldSBK riders’ standings ahead of this weekend’s (17–19 October) final round of 2025 in Jerez.

It’s a gap large enough for Razgatlioglu to settle into and manage and means that Bulega has to hope for things to go wrong for his rival, especially in the context of a 2025 World Superbike season that has seen the pair fill the top-two positions in 26 of 33 races so far this year.

Such is the remoteness of Bulega’s chance, his focus is just on winning this weekend’s races in Jerez to try to take the World Superbike title fight to Sunday’s two races.

“For sure, now my target is just try to win the races and if I can delay his party to win the championship for sure for me it’s better because every time I can delay his party it’s better for me,” Nicolo Bulega said in a pre-event press conference at Jerez.

“I would like to – I know it’s difficult – to put more pressure on him for Sunday and it could be good.”

Bulega also thinks the Jerez circuit should be one that suits both him and Razgatlioglu.

“For me, there are some corners [at Jerez] that are better for him: turn one and turn six, last one, also turn two,” he said.

“Where you have to brake very hard – I think it’s Toprak’s style. 

“But there are also some corners that are for my style, like turn seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 – the last two sectors are good for me.”

Although his chances of winning the title are slim with three races to go, Bulega still reflects positively on 2025: his second season in World Superbike after stepping up from the Supersport class he was champion in in 2023.

“For sure my [2025] season was very good, better than last year,” Bulega reflected.

“Okay, last year I was a rookie but it was a good year for being a rookie – I fought with Toprak [Razgatlioglu] until the last race so it was a very good season. 

“This season also was very good because I won more races than last year, I had more experience, always on the podium, so it was good. 

“But the final result could be the same, so I’m not so happy. 

“But, anyway, was two great seasons fighting with him, always, and I learnt a lot and this is important also for my future.”