WorldSBK Talking Points: What to expect at Most

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid have gathered at the Autodrom Most for Round 5 of the 2025 season as Czechia hosts the action. Riders spoke on Thursday at the Motul Czech Round to provide updates on their future, discuss their goals for Most, and adjustments to the fuel flow regulations following the latest concession checkpoint.  

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “My goal is to stay with Ducati… I’m only 25, I’d like to think about the future”Explaining how he’s affected by changes to fuel flow, while also talking about his future, Bulega said: “I’m happy to race after Cremona. We had great results there and it was a fantastic weekend for me, but here, it will be perhaps more difficult because Toprak is always very strong. This year is a different story compared to last year. On paper, Toprak here is very strong but also other riders. Cremona was my worst track and I won three races. It’s difficult to predict a result. For my smooth riding style, fuel flow adjustments are not easy because our bike started to be more nervous, especially when we have to change gear. When we have to change gear with an angle, it’s not easy because the bike is dirtier. For my riding style, it’s not so easy to adapt. My goal is to stay with Ducati because they gave me a great opportunity to become a great WorldSBK rider. I am only 25, I would like to think about the future. We’re talking and we’ll see. I want to stay focused on WorldSBK because I’m racing here, and my goal is to try to win the Championship this year and next year.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “My future is still quiet because Kenan’s still talking with some brands”Discussing his record at Most, his goals, and his future, Razgatlioglu said: “I’m really happy because I love this circuit and we’re very strong. This year isn’t like last year. Everything is different. Friday is very important. I hope my feeling on the bike is good as I need a good setup for the race because we use the SC1 rear tyre, the harder tyre. Last year, we had a very good weekend and this year, I hope we’re fighting for the win. My target is three wins. I don’t care about fuel flow; I’m just focused on my job. When I saw the changes, I was smiling because my bike is faster than the Yamaha and maybe the bimota, but not faster than Ducati. Rules are rules. My future is still quiet because Kenan’s still talking with some brands, but we will see, maybe one or two weeks later. This weekend is very important for me, and I need to win again.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I confirmed to the team that I want to keep racing for ’26 and now I’m waiting for their answer”Announcing his intention to race next year, Bautista stated: “After Cremona, we are in a good way. We’re building up good confidence on the bike. This year, the bike is working well at all tracks, at least consistently, so I can have the same feedback at every track. Most is not an easy track, there are a lot of demanding areas with changes of direction. Last year, I remember that the results were bad but the feeling with the bike improved compared to the other rounds. I’m confident that this year, we can replicate that performance, or even improve it, because this season, at every track, the times are quicker than other seasons. The performance of the bike is not the same when you have to reduce the fuel consumption, but we are trying to feel it as little as possible. To be honest, I have an agreement with Ducati. We had one for ’25 and ’26, but we just have to say yes from my side and Ducati’s side. The agreement is already signed. I confirmed to the team that I want to keep racing for ’26 and now I’m waiting for their answer. Let’s see in the next days or weeks when I have the answer from them.”

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team): “I feel like I have a little bit of a point to prove with the track”In-form rider Lowes spoke about the possibility of redemption at Most, after a crash here last year. He said: “I was really happy with the Sunday at Cremona; I wasn’t feeling so good, so it was a really positive day. Looking forward to getting back at Most. Last year it was a good weekend for the first time here, but it’s where I had the crash and hurt my shoulder, so it ruined my year a little bit. I think redemption is nice added motivation, but the first goal will be just to continue like the first few races, in the top four or five. The weather could play a little bit of a part, it could rain at some point. I feel like I have a little bit of a point to prove with the track. I think I already have 21 more points than last year, so it’s obviously a lot better than my rookie season! I feel a lot better on the and bike and nearly able to ride it how I want. I’d give it an 8/10 so far, maybe an 8.5 at some weekends. I’ve been in the Marc VDS team for a long time. My first target will be to stay there for another season; from last season to this, we’ve made a big step. I’ll have to ask them a little bit! My plan is stay on a Ducati but, at the minute, not too much to say. In the next weeks, we’ll know a lot more.”

Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “If I could come away from Most feeling good with the bike, riding the bike in the proper way… that would be something to be satisfied with”After returning from injury at Cremona, Rea spoke about his hopes for Most: “Cremona was a lot worse physically on the bike, but I was going to have that pain no matter when I started the season. Although the results and the feeling weren’t amazing, it was 100x better than sitting on the sofa at home! I expect an easier weekend, but without expectations for results. It’s a long time to be off from the bike, with such a good feeling in the winner to miss three complete rounds, and testing, it was hard to jump in at a circuit I didn’t know. I know Most. I’m still getting up to speed with the bike and find the feeling. I had a good feeling here last year. I know it’s not going to be a long way back, but we have to get back to showing our full potential because with the injury, it was impossible. I’d be satisfied to do a full race weekend, no mistakes, and build into some consistency. If I could come away from Most feeling good with the bike, riding the bike in the proper way and making the correct adjustments, that would be something to be satisfied with. With the plates inside my foot, and you walk on every moment, two of the metatarsals are fused together, so it offsets a lot of the force and pain; until I get those plates out, I’m going to have that. We need to check in the summer break if there’s enough gap or if it needs to be done at the end of the season.”

Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC): “About the future, I don’t really care, I know what I can do on the bike”Lecuona spoke about his future, saying: “My intention is to keep working at home, here, I know I can win and fight for the top positions so that is my target. I am not thinking about a anything else, my manager has said he won’t tell me anything until summer, so I don’t know anything, but I don’t want to know anything. I’m starting to feel good and work on myself, so let’s see what happens in the future but for now the focus is on the work. About the future, I don’t really care, I know what I can do on the bike. Even with the bad luck with injuries that I’ve had, I’ve had the capacity to get good results, so I know I’m not at my limit. I’m honestly not thinking about the future, I’m thinking about a Most because we’re here, but next time I’ll be thinking about the test, after that, Donington.”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “A factory bike is a dream, but I can’t complain with what I have now, because my bike is faster than many factory bikes”Petrucci is hoping the harder tyre allocation will suit him more, saying: “Cremona wasn’t like I wanted, and we faced some difficulties and bad luck. This made especially Saturday a difficult day. It was good to recover to P4 in Race 2, and we come here to Most with good feelings; we know we can be on the podium. The tyre allocation is more suitable for me, on the harder part of the compounds. We move away from the pressure we had at Cremona and here is one of the best tracks for us. We want to fight for the podium. Still nothing on my future. A factory bike is a dream, but I can’t complain with what I have now, because my bike is faster than many factory bikes. I found myself really well with Barni, so maybe there’s a chance to race together next year.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “Like Assen and Portimao, we were able to get podiums, so why not try again in this round?”

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