REPORT: Bulega makes it two from two at Jerez, Lecuona jumps ahead of Sam Lowes for P2

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) started his final day in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with victory in the Tissot Superpole Race at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Andalucia. The #11 led from lights out to the chequered flag as he made it 51 wins in the Championship, beating teammate Iker Lecuona and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) on the final day of the Pirelli Spanish Round.

CLOSING IN ON BAYLISS

Bulega was able to defend his pole position at the start of the race despite Sam Lowes putting pressure on him across the opening lap, with the #11 pulling out a gap of two tenths heading into Turn 6. The #14 had to defend from Lecuona but was unable to keep the Spaniard behind, with the factory Ducati rider moving into second place. The fight for the rostrum settled down as Bulega made it 51 wins in World Superbike, only one behind Troy Bayliss, while it was his 35^th podium of the campaign, beating Jonathan Rea's previous record of 34. He also moves onto 701 points, the first rider to hit the 700-point mark in WorldSBK history. Lecuona claimed his 33^rd podium in WorldSBK, while it was Sam Lowes' 16^th and 11^th this year.

BAUTISTA CLIMBS TO P6

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) initially had to fight with Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) to move into fourth, making the move at Turn 13 on the opening lap, before opening up a margin of around half-a-second. However, the #22 was able to stay close to the Italian which allowed him to maintain a sizeable gap to Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) in sixth, after the #19 climbed up the order from ninth on the grid. It means the second row for Race 2 will be Montella, Alex Lowes and Bautista.

VIERGE STEALS NINTH ON THE FINAL LAP

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) claimed P7 in the 10-lap race to secure a third-row start as he finished ahead of an epic scrap for eighth place. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) made a move on Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) at Turn 1 on the opening lap, but he was able to cut back. Surra then re-passed him at Turn 2 as he bundled the #46 out of the way, which allowed Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) to claim ninth as he took advantage of the aggressive move. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was also in the group following the fight, but the #88 was unable to make a move on the final lap, finishing in 11^th.

The top nine from the WorldSBK Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.797s
3. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +4.740s
4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.350s
5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +9.292s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +10.038s
7. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +10.738s
8. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +15.039s
9. Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +15.295s
   Fastest Lap – Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) – 1’37.196s, new lap record

The final race of 2026 is up next! Watch WorldSBK Race 2 at 15:30 Local Time (UTC+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €4.99!