Nicolo Bulega Dominates Estoril WorldSBK Race 1, Equals Bautista’s Season Win Record

Estoril, Portugal, October 10, 2026: Nicolo Bulega returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion at the Estoril Round of the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), securing Race 1 victory for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati and equalling Alvaro Bautista’s record for the most wins in a single season.

The recently crowned World Superbike Champion delivered a commanding performance at the penultimate round of the season, setting a new outright lap record to claim Superpole before establishing a new race lap record on his way to victory.

Bulega’s 27th win of the season brought him level with former Ducati teammate Bautista’s benchmark for the most race victories in a single WorldSBK campaign. With more races remaining, the Italian now has the opportunity to establish a new record before the season concludes.

His Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona finished second, while Alberto Surra of Motocorsa Racing secured third place for his second career WorldSBK podium.

Bulega Beats Lecuona to Estoril Race 1 Victory

Bulega’s weekend began with a record-breaking Superpole performance, giving Ducati its first Superpole success at Estoril. He carried that momentum into Race 1, although Lecuona initially challenged his teammate for the lead.

The Spaniard led the opening two laps before Bulega moved ahead and began building an advantage. Over the 21-lap race, the Italian gradually extended his lead to almost four seconds, underlining his pace and confidence aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 R.

The victory was particularly significant for Bulega, who said he had been working to rediscover his best feeling on the bike following the previous round at Cremona.

“I’m really happy to be back winning races,” Bulega said, thanking his team for helping him regain confidence and performance.

The Italian also made his ambitions clear for the remainder of the season, with the single-season victory record firmly in his sights.

Bulega emphasised that winning races remained his priority, with any additional records serving as a bonus.

Surra Secures Second Career WorldSBK Podium

Alberto Surra produced an impressive ride to finish third and secure his second career WorldSBK podium. Starting fourth on the grid, the Motocorsa Racing rider held his position through the opening lap before overtaking Alex Lowes on the following tour.

Surra subsequently maintained a consistent pace to consolidate third place and complete the podium behind the two Aruba.it Racing – Ducati riders.

The Italian credited improvements to his bike setup and electronics for helping him find greater confidence. Changes made ahead of Cremona, followed by further electronic adjustments at Estoril, contributed to his competitive performance.

Surra expressed satisfaction at securing his first podium in a full-length WorldSBK race and believes another top-three finish is possible if he can maintain his current form.

Miguel Oliveira Delivers BMW’s Best Result in 20 Races

Miguel Oliveira produced a determined performance for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team to finish fourth, recording BMW’s best result in 20 races.

The Portuguese rider made decisive overtaking moves into Turn 1 during the early stages, passing Yari Montella and Alex Lowes as he fought his way towards the front.

Although Oliveira narrowly missed out on a podium, his fourth-place finish provided a significant result for BMW at its home stretch of the European season.

Lowes, riding for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, was unable to hold on to third after Surra passed him early in the race.

Montella Recovers After Contact to Finish Eighth

Yari Montella endured a difficult opening phase after contact with Lorenzo Baldassarri of Team Goeleven damaged his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati and dropped him down the order to 10th.

The Italian began recovering positions from Lap 14 onwards, overtaking Sam Lowes of ELF Marc VDS Racing Team and former world champion Alvaro Bautista to finish eighth.

Despite losing valuable ground in the incident, Montella’s late-race recovery allowed him to salvage a respectable result.

Lecuona Wants More Despite Second Place

While Lecuona finished second to complete a Ducati one-two, the Spaniard admitted that he remained dissatisfied with the feeling he had on his motorcycle.

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider led the opening two laps but acknowledged that he could not match Bulega once the Italian moved ahead.

Lecuona said the team needed to find a solution to improve his confidence and performance, while also recognising that Bulega’s greater experience on the Ducati gave him an advantage.

Despite the frustration, Lecuona described the result as positive in the context of his first season on the bike. He also stressed that his competitive mindset meant he wanted more than simply finishing on the podium.

With the Estoril Round marking the penultimate stop of the 2026 WorldSBK season, Bulega’s record-equalling victory sets up an important final stretch. The Ducati rider will now look to add to his 27 wins and become the outright record-holder for the most victories in a single season.