Bulega Steps Out in Style
E
ven on the best bike and in the
best team, the reason Nicolo
Bulega took three more wins at
Jerez in Spain—to make it 32 sea-
son victories from 36 races (all his
other results are second places, of
course)—was Bulega himself.
In Superpole qualifying, at an
often-hot Jerez, Bulega did not
quite beat his own record but
took his 11th pole in 12 attempts
during 2026.
Iker Lecuona (Aruba.It Racing
- Ducati) was third in Superpole,
not second, as Sam Lowes (ELF
Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati)
had one of his special rides
again. Top non-Ducati rider? Alex
Lowes (bimota By Kawasaki Rac-
ing Team) in fifth place.
The first race, over 20 laps, was
slightly unusual, in that the peren-
nially up and down Sam Lowes
was the one who tried to hang
onto the coattails of Bulega's new
royal vestments and finished clos-
est to him in second.
Bulega, of course, won the
race. Lecuona repeated his Su-
perpole result of third place.
Fourth was comeback kid Al-
varo Bautista (Barni Spark Racing
Team). A faller from a potential
podium finish in Portugal last time
out, he was on a mission in the
closest thing he has to a true home
round. He could not get to third,
but ninth to fourth, in a race with
only two non-finishers (a non-finish
for Oliveira's BMW and a fiery non-
finish for Vierge's blown Yamaha)
was a great result.
After him were Yari Montella
(Barni Spark Racing Team), Al-
berto Surra (MotoCorsa Racing),
and Lorenzo Baldassari (Team
Go Eleven).
It took until eighth place in the
finishing order before we hit the
first non-Ducati, with Alex Lowes
passed by multiple Ducati riders
after lapping in fourth place on
lap one.
This was the first race this
year that had a running flush of
seven Ducatis at the top. Tommy
Bridewell (Superbike Advocates)
in ninth made it eight in the top
nine. Loris Baz (MGM Optical
Express Racing) in 12th made it
WIND
IN THE
P46
Ducati gifted Nicolo
Bulega (11) and
teammate Iker Lecuona
(7) a beautiful Paul
Smart-inspired silver
paint scheme for race
two, and the factory
Ducati stars went one
and two yet again, right
as Bulega signs off
WorldSBK for MotoGP.
PHOTOS: GOLD & GOOSE
