The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship shook down their machines ahead of the final day of racing at the Circuito Estoril, and Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) found a strong feeling with his Ducati Panigale V4R machine right away. Teammate Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) finished in second, his best time just a hundredth behind the #7, while Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) took P3. Bulega will break yet another record this season if he can win one more WorldSBK race, as he tied Alvaro Bautista's (Barni Spark Racing Team) WorldSBK record of 27 wins in a single season with his Race 1 victory.
Looking to beat his 2026 World Championship-winning teammate in Sunday’s races, Lecuona set a session-topping 1’34.973s, a sliver ahead of the #11 in P2 and his time of 1’34.983s. Four tenths behind the #11, Baldassarri is fixing for his first podium since Balaton Park, a result also scored in a Tissot Superpole Race. A podium would be just what the doctor ordered for the #34 as he looks to break into the top five, currently 21 points behind Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in the Championship standings.
Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) sent himself up to the fight near the front once again to finish the Warm Up at in fourth place. While his session didn’t quite have the drama of another incredible save shown in FP3, Yari Montella finished in an improved P5 compared to his Race 1 eighth-place result. Behind them, Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) finished as the top non-Ducati, a mere three thousandths behind the #5.
Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) tailed his teammate on the timesheets from P7, 0.167s behind the Brit and 0.671s behind Lecuona at the front. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) crossed the line in P8, one position ahead of his Race 1 finish as the two-time World Champion Spaniard looks for a strong result to score himself a 2027 seat. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) rounded off the top ten in that order, the transatlantic duo separated by just over a tenth.
Top six from the WorldSBK Warm Up session: Full results here!
- Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’34.973s
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.010s
- Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.446s
- Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +0.495s
- Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.501s
- Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.504s
Tune in to the first of the final five of races this season starting with the Tissot Superpole Race at 11:10 (Local Time UTC +1) with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now just €9.99!