Bulega Tops Preseason WorldSBK Testing
N
icolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing
– Ducati) was the fastest
rider in what was finally a form
of "hybrid" Jerez preseason
shakedown test for most of the
new WorldSBK grid. The action
was split between a one-day test
in dry but very windy track condi
-
tions and a subsequent second-
day session, held in the wet from
start to finish.
Bulega's best dry time of
1:38.731 was forty-five hun
-
dredths of a second faster than
the next rider, Andrea Iannone
(Team Pata GoEleven Ducati).
Like most riders, these two did
not compete on the second day,
when rain and a wet track sur-
face were present all day.
A remarkable first Ducati
comeback ride for Scott Redding
(MGM Bonovo Racing Ducati)
placed him third quickest, ahead
of the only Kawasaki rider in
the entire championship in
2025, Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki
WorldSBK Team). He is, at least,
a full factory rider.
Axel Bassani (Bimota by Ka
-
wasaki Racing Team) was fifth
on the new Kawasaki-powered
KB998 Rimini bike, complete
with variable winglets. Bassani
was one of those lucky few who
rode on the wet second day.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark
Racing Team Ducati) was sixth
overall, with Xavi Vierge (Honda
HRC) seventh on a works Honda
that has returned to Ohlins sus
-
pension for 2025. Petrucci, with
his fastest time of 1:39.548, was
the last rider in the same second
as the fastest man, Bulega.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Rac
-
ing – Ducati) was eighth overall,
with the Lowes boys—Sam (Elf
WIND
IN THE
P32
Nicolo Bulega wants
the title in his second
WorldSBK year and started
off on the right foot.
