While last year, on the way to the world title, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu had signed his first triple of the season at Misano this weekend, the FIM Superbike World Championship (World SBK) was back on the Adriatic coast, and "El Turco" repeated the feat on his BMW.
In front of more than 76 spectators, in the sweltering summer heat, he won all three races on his BMW M 000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK team, and thanks to this performance, the Turkish rider reduced the gap between him and the championship leader, Nicolò Bulega (ITA / Ducati), to just nine points.
So, while the duel with Nicholas Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was announced to be as tight as it was uncertain, the entire BMW team is in heaven, at the same time overshadowing the very modest performance of Michael van der Mark, with a retirement in race 1, a 12th place in the Superpole Race and a 10th position in race 2.
Reactions after the Misano weekend:
Sven Blusch, Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was an incredible weekend for the whole team. These last few races have shown how hard we fought to get back to the top level. To achieve a hat-trick here at Misano, especially after all the rumors surrounding Toprak's move to MotoGP, is a fantastic feeling for the team. We are very proud of what everyone has achieved. This weekend is indescribable for us.”
Mickey (van der Mark) was more difficult, but his top 10 finish in the last race shows he can also get closer to the front. We will continue to work towards this. Overall, BMW put on a perfect performance; we are extremely proud and approach Donington with our heads held high. We are back in the title race and, with Toprak's current momentum, anything is possible. We will give it our all."
Christian Gonschor, technical director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “The message sent this weekend is clear: we have the best team in the paddock and the best team at headquarters in Munich. It's a real team effort. Toprak delivered an exceptional performance, but to put the bike on top three times here at Misano, a circuit that is particularly demanding for us due to the temperatures and the level of grip, and to set the fastest lap each time in the race, is the result of a joint effort.
This reflects the strength of the BMW brand, the team, the rider, and the passion we all share. Unfortunately, the mechanics can't enjoy a well-deserved ice cream or a cold drink just yet: they have to completely dismantle Toprak's bike for the technical inspection. But we are confident and already looking forward to Donington."
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I would first like to thank my team, because they did an incredible job throughout the weekend. We were able to improve the bike in every session, and especially for Race 2, it was really fast. I still had a small problem in Turn 4, but I managed to manage it in the race. I had a very good pace and I was pushing hard, because even though Bulega started from tenth place, I knew he would come back quickly. So I had to attack from the start. In the end, I am very happy because we achieved the hat-trick like last year. These victories give me even more motivation, and I can't wait for Donington.”
Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “This weekend was really complicated for me. We tried a lot of things on the bike, but it never felt faster, and I never found a good feeling. There were also a few stupid crashes… Honestly, it was a real headache from start to finish.
But of course, everyone gave it their all and never gave up. Even in Race 2, the feeling wasn't there, but I still scored some points. I'm not satisfied with my weekend, but I'm very happy for the team, who are working tirelessly. I'm looking forward to Donington; we'll be ready."
Misano hosted the sixth of twelve rounds of the season. The championship will continue from July 11 to 13 at Donington Park (GBR).
Weekend facts:
Superpole.
Air temperature: 28°, track temperature: 40°, humidity: 60%, conditions: dry.
| Pos | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Team |
| 1. | Nicolò Bulega (ITA) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 1: 31.618 * |
| 2. | Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 1:31.856 |
| 3. | Axel Bassani (ITA) | bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota | 1:32.337 |
| 4. | Sam Lowes (GBR) | Elf Marc VDS Racing Team | Ducati | 1:32.419 |
| 5. | Alex Lowes (GBR) | bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota | 1:32.466 |
| 14. | Michael van der Mark (NED) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 1:33.221 |
* New absolute record
Race 1.
Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 47°, humidity: 49%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.
| Pos | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Gap |
| 1. | Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | - |
| 2. | Nicolò Bulega (ITA) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 1.045 |
| 3. | Danilo Petrucci (ITA) | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati | 16.684 |
| 4. | Alex Lowes (GBR) | bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota | 16.824 |
| 5. | Andrea Locatelli (ITA) | Maxus Yamaha Pata | Yamaha | 17.450 |
| DNF | Michael van der Mark (NED) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | - |
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, lap 9, 1:33.201
Superpole Race.
Air temperature: 29°, track temperature: 42°, humidity: 60%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.
| Pos | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Gap |
| 1. | Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | - |
| 2. | Alex Lowes (GBR) | bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota | 4,281 |
| 3. | Andrea Locatelli (ITA) | Maxus Yamaha Pata | Yamaha | 6,122 |
| 4. | Danilo Petrucci (ITA) | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati | 7,542 |
| 5. | Alvaro Bautista (ESP) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 8,855 |
| 12. | Michael van der Mark (NED) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 16,278 |
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, lap 2, 1:32.813
Race 2.
Air temperature: 32°, track temperature: 48°, humidity: 54%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.
| Pos | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Gap |
| 1. | Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | - |
| 2. | Nicolò Bulega (ITA) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 9.685 |
| 3. | Alvaro Bautista (ESP) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 14.438 |
| 4. | Andrea Locatelli (ITA) | Maxus Yamaha Pata | Yamaha | 16.752 |
| 5. | Danilo Petrucci (ITA) | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati | 19.273 |
| 10. | Michael van der Mark (NED) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 35.255 |
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, lap 6, 1:33.471
Drivers' standings (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).
| Pos | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1. | Nicolò Bulega (ITA) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 292 |
| 2. | Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 283 (-9) |
| 3. | Danilo Petrucci (ITA) | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati | 179 (-113) |
| 4. | Alvaro Bautista (ESP) | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Ducati | 172 (-120) |
| 5. | Andrea Locatelli (ITA) | Maxus Yamaha Pata | Yamaha | 157 (-135) |
| 14. | Michael van der Mark (NED) | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW | 62 (-230) |
Constructors' standings (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1. | Ducati | 327 |
| 2. | BMW | 285 (-42) |
| 3. | Yamaha | 177 (-150) |
| 4. | Honda | 118 (-209) |
| 5. | Bimota | 115 (-212) |
| 6. | Kawasaki | 40 (-287) |
Misano BMW Misano BMW
