Ducati Sporting Club UK > News Items > Ducati Press Releases > Bautista heads the table after a thrilling Race 2. Bulega eighth. Huertas also gets on the podium (P2) and takes the championship lead in WorldSSP

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World Superbike | 2024 | R3 | Assen (Netherlands) | Sunday 21 April 2024

Bautista heads the table after a thrilling Race 2. Bulega eighth. Huertas also gets on the podium (P2) and takes the championship lead in WorldSSP

Alvaro Bautista closes the third round of the season by taking the Superbike World Championship lead at the end of an emotionally charged Sunday at the Assen circuit (Netherlands). First, the Spanish rider is the protagonist of an extraordinary Superpole Race win: starting from the seventh position, he fights until the last lap with Razgatlioglu for the victory in Race 2.

After dominating for 9 laps the Superpole Race, finishing in 2nd position behind his teammate, Nicolò Bulega has to settle for eighth place in Race-2 (another race of the week-end conditioned by the rain that fell after 12 laps)

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #1)
"This morning's Superpole Race was the only dry session of the whole round and that says a lot about the difficulties we had to overcome. However, I am delighted with what we did. In Race-2 the feeling was very good but after the rain, I had the feeling that the rear wheel, losing temperature, had changed a lot not allowing me to push as I would have liked. Still, it remains a very positive weekend."

Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #11)
"It was a weekend characterized by ups and downs but at the same time, it was not easy to race for the first time with the Panigale V4R on a circuit in such unpredictable weather conditions. Now we go to Misano, my home race, and we will try to be very competitive and consistent again."

WorldSSP

Adrian Huertas is the new leader of the World Supersport Championship. The Spanish rider is practically perfect in Race 2 made very difficult by the rain that started to fall hard on the lining-up lap. After two laps in extreme conditions, Huertas returned to the pits to change tyres and begin a gripping comeback to finish in second place.

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #99)
"It was a very difficult race because of the heavy rain. I want to thank the team because when I went back to the pits to change the tires they worked very calmly and gave me confidence. Yes, it is true, I am now leading the world championship but we will have to look at the standings later in the season."