The EICMA Italian Round arrives at a critical late moment in the season, with various titles on the line across three of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) knocks at the door of WorldSBK’s Riders’ Championship, while Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) looks to take the Riders’ title for himself and do his part for the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles, which each lie within reach. With just one round remaining after Cremona, all three of WorldSPB’s titles can also be clinched at the Italian venue.
BULEGA WITH ONE HAND ON THE SILVERWARE
The Italian was held off from a Magny-Cours coronation by his teammate Iker Lecuona's (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) P2 consistency; however, preventing the #11 from clinching the title at home may prove too tall a task. Holding a 146-point lead with 186 points remaining pre-Cremona, not only can ‘Bulegas’ win the title in Race 1 if he can outscore the #7 by 15 points, but the Italian will be crowned in Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race if he outscores his teammate by just three points cumulatively over the two races. In other words, among the potential winning scenarios, Bulega could be crowned as early as Race 1 if he wins the race and Lecuona falls to sixth or lower, or if the #11 finishes P2 while the #7 takes P11 or worse. With Bulega’s 2027 future confirmed, a triple crown would be the perfect way for the Italian to close out his time in the WorldSBK paddock, as the Italian has been involved in a title battle in each of his three seasons in WorldSBK.
The Barni Spark Racing Team is poised to host the Independent Teams’ Championship in Cremona as well; the Independent Ducati outfit holds a 168-point lead with 186 points left on offer before the round. If the team’s riders can score at least six points less than Sam Lowes and the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, they could take the lead.
ALL THREE WORLD SUPERSPORT UP FOR GRABS
Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) could land a triple crown for himself, his team and his manufacturer at Cremona. He leads the Riders’ Championship by 70 points, and with just 100 potential points remaining after the round, the #75 can win the title in Race 2 if he: outscores current runner-up Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) by 31 points, Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) by six points, and avoids losing points to Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) over the two races. Arenas’ AS BLU CRU Racing Team can also win the Teams’ Championship in Race 2 provided they can outscore EASTROC ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing by 31 points, GMT94 Yamaha by 15-16 points depending on results, and lose 10 points or fewer to Orelac Racing VerdNatura over both races. As to the Manufacturers’ Championship, Yamaha have a 72-point lead in hand, and can win the title in Race 2 if they can outscore Ducati bikes by 29 points cumulatively over both races.
PENULTIMATE ROUND DRAMA FOR WORLD SPORTBIKE
David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) looks to close out the Championship’s inaugural season on top. He sports a 30-point lead with four races to go; he can win the title in Race 2 at Cremona if he can outscore Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) by 20 or 21 points depending on results, not lose points to his teammate Antonio Torres, and lose at most 24 points to Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) over both races. Salvador’s Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI squad can also be crowned Teams’ Champions as early as Race 1 if they outscore MTM Kawasaki by 44 points total. If that doesn’t happen, they can be named Champions in Race 2 if they can lose one point or fewer to MTM Kawasaki over both races, and lose 47 points or fewer to the Suzuki-powered Track & Trades Wixx Racing. Lastly, Kawasaki looks likely to hoist the Manufacturers’ title over the course of the round, as they will win in Race 1 if they can outscore Triumph by a single point.
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