Being far away from each other is something that both Nicolò and Toprak have to get used to when the 2026 racing championship season starts. It isn’t easy of course, when Nicolò is used to look around in parc fermé, finding Toprak there and they’d always hug or give each other a pat on the shoulder, saying good race. However, he still finds himself looking to his side on the podium, even knowing that damn well Toprak is racing across the continent, and he’s leading the championship. Victorious, even.

He likes winning, which every athlete will agree with him on, and he has been winning. However, deep down he thinks it’s not the same, when it’s not Toprak giving him the exciting and thrilling battles on track, fighting for the win until the end. (Also he’ll shower him with praises and kisses, but he can’t get them anymore since they’re away.) So, he’s more than happy when he got handed down his phone at the parc fermé to accept a call from no one other than his boyfriend.

“Congratulations, winner.”

A smile forms on Nicolò’s face. “Mhm, were you watching?”

“Of course. You were amazing, aşkım.”

Maybe a faint blush has appeared on his face, won’t be noticeable though it’ll be brushed off as a post-race effect, the heat and all. He has missed that deep and soothing voice complimenting him.

“It’s not the same without you though, canım.” The sudden Turkish pet name had caught Toprak off on the other side, it seemed that Nicolò had picked up the habit of Toprak calling him every kind of pet name.

“I know, I’ll make it up to you, don’t worry.” He hummed at the response.

The call ends some seconds later, because they still have to go to the podium. Despite finishing a very tiring race, the phone call has given Nicolò another energy supply to celebrate wildly on the podium, happiness pouring from all parts of his body. He wishes that Toprak is still watching him too.

Little does he know that such a simple moment at the parc fermé will draw so much attention from the public. Overnight, the phone call has gained the public attention, from fans with all their crazy theories.

WorldSBK Championship Leader’s Secret Lover Identity Revealed!

Razgatlıoğlu’s Parting Gift to Former Rival

There are some other headlines, but the second one makes his stomach drop. Did someone overhear them? That time he himself couldn’t hear Toprak’s voice clearly, so definitely someone couldn’t possibly be—

He clicked on the article.

—round winner, Nicolò Bulega was seen calling someone, who’s supposedly to be his lover. Written under his picture. He continues reading, some sources share his latest trip to Turkey was to meet the 2025 champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. A sweat runs down his back, but he tries to stay calm, yes he went there to spend more private time with his new boyfriend, still who even bothers to trace him all the way there? They were seen going into a bar, leaving with a woman.

He sighs, feeling relieved, he knows where this article is going, and as expected some crazy fans were theorizing that the random woman—who’s actually just Toprak’s acquaintance who shouldn’t meet them at all, because she was asking Nicolò a hell lot of questions—is his supposedly-new-girlfriend. Just because he accidentally used a pet name Toprak has called him many times before. He lets out a loud laugh, tossing his phone aside.

Nicolò shares the article link to Toprak later. That earned him a good amount of laughing emoji from his lover.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. They are at the end of the World Superbike 2026 season. One step left to finalize Nicolò’s championship title. He has been nervous all week, not wanting to lose his focus and fumble this exact moment he’s been waiting for all his life. His friends and family are attending to show their support—even the academy guys are here. It’s only natural for his eyes to trail around, double checking if Toprak is also here, but there’s no signs—he’s a bit disappointed, but nothing should ruin his race, so he quickly follows his team to the grid.

The race wasn’t as exciting as he thought it’ll be, indeed he was nervous all the time—his heart thumping when there were three corners left, the second rider was already too far to overtake him at this moment, the title is practically his. Still, he shouldn’t celebrate too early—last time he had gotten a win over Toprak because the man’s bike was acting up at the last corner. He’s more than happy for the win but he doesn’t want to experience that himself.

At last, he did it.

He took his precious time to perform the celebration the team had helped him to prepare before. It felt amazing. Claps, whistles, and cheers were heard as soon as he entered parc fermé, bringing in his bike slowly. He refs it out, gaining even wilder cheers from his team, the smoke filling out the area. He can’t see that far with the smoke and helmet on, but when he sees that sliver sight of short black hair that’s taller than everyone—among his team members that are all wearing red—he knows. And when he finally gets near enough—unable to hold the emotions in—he nearly jumps over the barricade just to pull Toprak in a tight hug.

Their lips are so close that in someone else’s sight it’ll probably look like they’re kissing. He doesn’t care though, he has just won the championship and even more, his boyfriend is here. He’s here to share this special moment with him, and that’s more than enough to make him tear up—

“You’ve done it, champ.” Toprak pats his back, Nicolò’s breath hot against his.

“Are you proud of me?”

“Always.”

Then Nicolò realizes the amount of cameras and flashes that are directed around them—he coughs, stepping back from the barricade, that makes him able to see Toprak more clearly, with his lovingly-proud smile.

“Go on then, celebrate,” he told him.

Nicolò nods, then he goes to greet the other two riders—gaining congratulations from them too, before having his turn of the interview.

“We’ve seen that the former champion has come here to congratulate you, did your relationship change after his move?”

His ramble about the whole season stopped a little after hearing the question, he thinks—

“Well, it’s great to have him here—with us. Of course it meant a lot for me, since I respect him as a former rival even after his move to MotoGP,” he answered. He internally screams because he wants, wants to tell the world that he’s so happy to have his boyfriend witnessing his WorldSBK title, especially that they were sharing the grid before. Maybe he wishes that he has beaten Toprak instead, but this reality is also very good.

When they all get on the podium, Toprak’s eyes immediately meet Nicolò’s, not bothering to look anywhere else, pride also filling his chest as if he’s also winning the title. The win makes Nicolò glow even more, or maybe that’s just his lovestruck head telling, he doesn’t care, he promises to himself to shower his newly champion with everything, as he deserves. Also to make up with the lack of time they spend together—tonight will be long. He already imagines all sort of things they can finally do together—and maybe he’ll invite Nicolò to the next MotoGP race, just having him in his garage instead of Ducati’s. He doesn’t know how he’ll pull it off, but he will.

The season had ended, and the loud celebrations had gone down, but that doesn’t stop the articles and photos from flooding Nicolò’s socials. He’s now laying down comfortably on Toprak’s bed, in the hotel they’re staying for the MotoGP round weekend. Nothing is really new to him, until—

2026 WorldSBK Champion’s REAL Lover

And a picture of them hugging back from some weeks ago is attached below it.