Nicolo Bulega wraps up double at Magny-Cours to slash injured Toprak Razgatlioglu's World Superbike points advantage
Italy’s Nicolo Bulega sealed a Sunday double at Magny-Cours in France to cut the deficit at the top of the World Superbike Championship.
The Aruba.it Ducati rider capitalised on the absence of injured title leader Toprak Razgatlioglu to claw back some points, following up his victory in the Superpole race with an impressive success in the final race.
Bulega, who is competing in his first full season in World Superbikes after winning the Supersport crown last season, beat Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Ducati) by 2.3s with third place going to American rider Garrett Gerloff on the Bonovo Action BMW.
Razgatlioglu was ruled out of the eighth round following a crash in free practice on Friday, which left the ROKiT BMW rider with a collapsed lung.
Reigning champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati) also missed Race 2 after sustaining fractured rib in a crash in the Superpole race, while Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Rea missed both races on Sunday after undergoing surgery on a deep laceration to his right thumb when he crashed on the first lap of Saturday’s opening race.
Bulega, who crashed in front of Rea in Saturday’s race, has reduced Razgatlioglu’s title cushion to 55 points with four rounds remaining.
“It’s incredible, to win again is very nice,” said Bulega.
“Especially after yesterday’s crash, which was a very big crash.
“Today, two wins, so incredible, I’m really happy; thanks to my team, thanks to the doctors that helped me to have less pain, and now I just want to have fun.”
Asked if he felt he could win the championship at his first attempt, Bulega added: “Unfortunately Toprak was not here this weekend so for him maybe it is a little bit more difficult to win, but anyway now I gain a bit of points but I’m still far.
“Toprak, when he will come back, will be strong like always, so I don’t know – we will try.”
Alex Lowes fought back to finish fourth after dropping a lot of ground at the start of the race after developing an issue with his Kawasaki.
Saturday’s race winner Michael van der Mark took fifth on the ROKiT BMW ahead of Remy Gardner (GRT Yamaha).
Round nine of the championship takes place at a new venue on the World Superbike calendar at Cremona in Italy from September 20-22.