It seemed like a quiet, serene and carefree weekend, with a script already written, and in the end the fuse was suddenly lit in the post-race period. At Estoril Toprak decreed the birth of the Ducati Family, but apparently Bulega, Bautista and Iannone don't seem to be intent on having any particular family ties.
Luckily, there is Stefano Manzi, who really gets along well in the Ten Kate Family, to the point of calling it more Romagnola than Dutch and celebrating the historic SuperSport title with them.
THE GOOD - So kudos go to Stefano Manzi, absolute protagonist of this SSP season and winner of the title. It's only applause for him and for this lovely story of resurgence written in the production-derived paddock after years of difficulty in MotoGP. Therefore, we can only wish him the best as he makes the jump to Superbike.
THE BAD - We are sorry, because he certainly did not deserve such an ending. Ryan Vickers will not be at the start of Superbike 2026, because Motocorsa has opted for another rider, the clues of which all lead to Alberto Surra. Too bad, because in what was his first experience in World SBK, the British rider did not disfigure any more than others had done in the past. It was a completely new context for him and he certainly needed more time.
THE UGLY - We certainly don't want to think about how he must have experienced this weekend, sitting on the couch watching others race. Danilo Petrucci will have surgery today, and we hope everything goes well, wishing to see him on track at Jerez for the grand finale of the season. Petrux deserves it, as does the Barni team, who throughout this season have chased that historic goal of third place.
DISAPPOINTMENT - A turnaround was needed, but apparently the nightmare has not yet been banished. Yari Montella seems to have ended up in a dead-end tunnel, and the weekend at Estoril turned out to be one to forget. So let's hope for a ray of sunshine in the Andalusian finale.
CONFIRMATION - Toprak and Bulega, always and only them, to the very end. All that remains to do is to put your feet up and enjoy the last act of an extraordinary battle between two great champions.
MISTAKE - He took it upon himself to admit the mistake, without mincing words. The jump start in Race 2 weighs in no small part on Andrea Iannone, because it took him out of the scrap for the podium. It wouldn't have been bad at all to see The Maniac throw himself into the fray with Bautista and Locatelli.
SURPRISE - Estoril saw the return of a surprising Alvaro Bautista. Front row in qualifying and third in all the races, never throwing the bike into the gravel once over the weekend. For him it can certainly be said to have been the best weekend of this 2025!
OVERTAKE - Bulega's at turn 1 in Race 2: decisive to drive a wedge between him and the others and head for victory.
CURIOSITY - In amongst all the tough luck there is a little joy, although we are of the idea he won't care very much about it: the fact is that at Estoril the party without the birthday boy went ahead. Petrucci won the best rider independent title while flying back to Italy. To Aruba instead goes the team one.
I TOLD YOU SO - Toprak on Friday, "I'm here to win all three races." He came close, but without reckoning with Bulega.