Nicolo Bulega Leads Both Free Practice Sessions at WorldSBK Jerez Finale

Jerez, Spain, October 16, 2026: Nicolo Bulega made an impressive start to the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season finale, topping both Free Practice sessions at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in Spain. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider finished Friday at the head of the combined timesheets with a fastest lap of 1:38.155s, putting himself in a strong position ahead of the final round of the season.

Bulega finished 0.252 seconds ahead of Sam Lowes of the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, while Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona secured third place, just 0.334 seconds off the pace. The top three maintained their positions across both practice sessions, underlining their early competitiveness at the Spanish circuit.

Bulega completed 38 laps during the day’s running as he looked to repeat his success at Jerez, where he claimed a hat-trick of victories 12 months ago.

Despite topping the timesheets, the Italian acknowledged that track conditions made it difficult to find an ideal setup. He said the surface was relatively dirty, with limited rubber laid down, affecting grip and consistency.

Bulega also adjusted his programme following a red-flag interruption during FP2, spending additional time in the garage before returning to the track. His focus was on preparing the motorcycle and tyres for race distance, while identifying areas for improvement ahead of Saturday’s sessions.

Iker Lecuona and Sam Lowes Complete Top Three

Lecuona finished third overall but admitted that he struggled to find a comfortable feeling with his Ducati. The Spaniard said the team experimented with a different setup during the afternoon session, although the changes did not immediately deliver the desired improvement.

He reported greater consistency towards the end of the session, with the team analysing data from both practice runs to identify solutions ahead of the next day.

Lowes, meanwhile, was encouraged by his pace despite experiencing issues with the motorcycle and brakes. The British rider said the problems disrupted his rhythm and prevented him from demonstrating his full potential, but he remained optimistic about fighting further up the order.

Yari Montella of Barni Spark Racing Team finished fourth with a time deficit of 0.366 seconds, followed by Alberto Surra of Motocorsa Racing in fifth at 0.442 seconds.

Alex Lowes, riding for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, completed the top six. He was 0.470 seconds behind Bulega after completing 38 laps across the two sessions.

Lorenzo Baldassarri to Continue with Team Goeleven

Lorenzo Baldassarri finished seventh fastest on Friday, with his performance coming after confirmation that he would remain with Team Goeleven for the 2027 season.

The announcement provides continuity for the Italian rider as he prepares for another campaign in the WorldSBK championship.

Red Flags After Bautista and Dixon Crashes

Friday’s practice running was interrupted by crashes involving Alvaro Bautista of Barni Spark Racing Team and Jake Dixon of Honda HRC, both at Turn 9.

Dixon’s incident brought out the red flag during Free Practice 2, interrupting the session and affecting the teams’ preparations.

With the season finale underway, teams will now focus on refining their setups and improving tyre performance ahead of the next sessions at Jerez.

Bulega enters the remainder of the weekend as the rider to beat after setting the pace in both practice sessions. However, with Lowes and Lecuona close behind, the battle for the top positions remains open as the WorldSBK paddock prepares for the final races of the 2026 season.