WorldSBK is off and running in their final day in Great Britain ahead of their pair of Sunday racesAfter a twist in the season's narrative on Saturday, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders are getting limbered up for what has all the components to be a dramatic conclusion to the Prosecco DOC UK Round at the venue which hosted the first/ever WorldSBK race, Donington Park Circuit. Popping the cork on Sunday’s festivities, it was Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) who put himself back atop the order after being shuffled to P2 for the first time this season, followed by Race 1 winner Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) to comprise the Warm Up’s three fastest times.
After Lecuona finally snapped Bulega’s unprecedented race win streak on Saturday, Bulega responded in force with a tone-setting 1’25.052s on Sunday morning to finish the Warm Up on top. Lecuona gave chase, just over a tenth of a second behind him, and only six hundredths ahead of home hero Sam Lowes, who is looking to get on the podium in front of his friends and family.
Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was the quicker of the Bimota machines on Sunday morning, recording a 1’25.740s time to snag P4 ahead of Saturday podium finisher Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), who was a mere two hundredths slower than ‘El Bocia’. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was close by his BbKRT teammate, finishing in P6 just four thousandths behind Montella.
Tommy Bridewell (Superbikes Advocates) made it two Brits in the top seven, seven and a half tenths behind Bulega in P1. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) finished ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team), both riders two tenths slower than Bridewell, and the Spaniard two hundredths behind the #34. Taking P10, Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) earned top Yamaha honours, finishing ahead of former Yamaha rider Jonathan Rea (Honda HRC Test Team) and current Yamaha rider Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha).
The top six from the WorldSBK Warm Up session: Full results here!
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’25.052s
- Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’25.194s
- Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 1’25.253s
- Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’25.740s
- Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’25.757s
- Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’25.761s
Stay tuned for the shootout to come! Watch it all, Live and OnDemand from Donington Park with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 50% off!