Free Practice 1 of the Official Test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) leading the way by almost half-a-second as he put the new Panigale V4R through its paces in the two-hour session. The #11 fended off late laps from Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) to secure top spot at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Bulega ended last year with three wins, and he’s started 2026 in the same way, topping the timesheets; albeit in FP1 of the Official Test. He was the first rider to lap in the 1’29s and he ended the two-hour session with a 1’29.451s, beating fellow Ducati rider Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) by 0.470s. The #5 was quick out of the blocks in FP1 as he posted a 1’29.921s for P2, with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) completing an all-Italian top three. ‘El Bocia’ was just a tenth slower than Montella.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) left it late to secure P4 as he posted a 1’30.275s, denying Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) by just 0.009s. The Texan was able to push the new ZX-10RR machine in dry conditions during FP1, with the entire field enjoying a productive first day of track action at Phillip Island. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was immediately faster than he went in last year’s equivalent session, finishing FP1 with a 1’30.286s as he claimed P6, around half-a-tenth quicker than Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) in P7.

Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) claimed lead Yamaha honours in the first two-hour session as he set a 1’30.420s, 0.969s off Bulega’s pace. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was ninth despite bringing out the red flag just over an hour into the session when he suffered a technical issue on his Panigale V4R machine. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) left it late to slot into the top ten with a 1’30.626s, beating fellow rookie Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) by three hundredths of a second.

Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) had the first crash of the Official Test in WorldSBK when he came down at Turn 6, although the #62 was able to return to the track shortly afterwards; he finished in 16^th place, directly ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha). There was also a fall for Ryan Vickers (Honda HRC) at the same corner, with Vickers wildcarding for the Japanese manufacturer in Australia.

The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’29.451s
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.470s
3. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.788s
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.824s
5. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) +0.833s
6. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.835s

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