Nicolo Bulega and Ducati laid down an early warning to the rest of the WorldSBK field on Friday at Assen, with the championship leader topping both practice sessions and finishing Day 1 comfortably clear of the opposition. Riding the Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Bulega looked in control throughout the day and underlined why he arrives in the Netherlands as the rider everyone is chasing.
The Italian completed 39 laps across the two sessions and produced the fastest time of the day, a 1’33.687. More significantly, his pace over longer runs was equally impressive. He recorded nine laps quicker than any rival managed all day, showing not only one-lap speed but also the consistency that often decides races at the TT Circuit Assen.
That combination of raw pace and race rhythm has become a major strength for Bulega in 2026, and it once again placed him at the top of the timesheets.
Ducati Dominate the Top Three
It was an excellent Friday overall for Ducati, who locked out the top three positions in the combined standings.
Lorenzo Baldassarri continued his encouraging start to the campaign by finishing second for Team GoEleven. The Italian, who already reached the podium earlier in the season, was competitive from the first laps and ended the day 0.276s behind Bulega. He also logged 43 laps, more than any other rider, giving his team plenty of data ahead of Saturday.
Third place went to Iker Lecuona, Bulega’s Aruba.it Racing teammate. The Spaniard has shown strong speed in recent rounds and once again stayed near the front, finishing just 0.330s off top spot. Although happy to remain in contention, Lecuona admitted he is still searching for the perfect feeling from the bike.
With three Ducatis occupying the first three places, the Bologna manufacturer sent a clear message that it could again be the machine to beat this weekend.
Mixed Fortunes for BMW
Danilo Petrucci was the fastest BMW rider in fourth, but it was not a straightforward day for the German manufacturer.
Petrucci suffered a crash at Turn 16 near the end of the morning session, though he recovered well and still ended Friday only 0.405s from the pace. His ability to bounce back and remain competitive could prove important heading into qualifying.
There was also trouble for Miguel Oliveira, who crashed at Turn 10 during the day. The Portuguese rider, fresh from a strong previous round, finished outside the top ten after losing valuable track time. Even so, the BMW camp will take confidence from Petrucci’s pace and know improvement is still possible.
Encouraging Signs for Yamaha
Xavi Vierge led Yamaha’s charge in fifth place and gave the Japanese marque reasons to feel optimistic. The Spaniard ended the day just over four tenths behind Bulega, a gap small enough to suggest Yamaha can fight near the front if they find a little more on Saturday.
His teammate Andrea Locatelli had a more difficult opening day. Last year’s Assen race winner could only manage 11th and was almost one second slower than the benchmark time. However, Locatelli has a strong record at this circuit and remains one to watch once race trim begins.
Sam Lowes rounded out the top six for ELF Marc VDS Racing, continuing his steady return to full fitness with another competitive showing.
Rider Reactions
Nicolo Bulega – Aruba.it Racing Ducati
“We started well this morning but I wasn’t completely happy with the feeling on the bike. We improved it during the day, but I still feel like I’m only at 90 percent. We need to find the last part tomorrow. I’m missing some front feeling under braking, which makes corner entry a little harder, but the pace is good and tyre work was positive. I didn’t even need to change tyres this afternoon, so overall it was a strong Friday.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri – Team GoEleven
“We can be very pleased with today. After Portimao, it was important to confirm our speed again. Physically I also feel better, and that helped a lot. We were quick today, but tomorrow everyone will improve, so we need to keep progressing as well.”
Iker Lecuona – Aruba.it Racing Ducati
“I’m a bit frustrated because compared with Australia I still don’t have the feeling I want from the bike. We made some improvements this afternoon, but not exactly in the areas where we need them most. Finishing third is okay and the pace is there, but I still feel something is missing. Hopefully we can solve it tomorrow.”
Combined WorldSBK Results After FP2
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) – 1’33.687
- Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.276
- Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) +0.330
- Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.405
- Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.410
- Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.456
Mahias Secures First WorldSSP Pole of the Season
Lucas Mahias delivered a perfectly timed lap to take pole position in WorldSSP, claiming the tenth Superpole of his career for GMT94 Yamaha.
The French rider had shown pace throughout the day, but his best effort came late in the session as he edged fellow countryman Valentin Debise by just 0.071s. It completed a French one-two at the front of the grid and highlighted how competitive the middleweight class continues to be.
Albert Arenas secured third, only 0.082s from pole, while Tom Booth-Amos and Can Oncu completed a tightly packed top five.
Championship leader Jaume Masia qualified ninth, but crucially remained within four tenths of pole, meaning he is still firmly in the fight for Race 1.
Former double champion Dominique Aegerter enjoyed his best qualifying result since returning to the class, earning a place on the fourth row.
Lucas Mahias – GMT94 Yamaha
“I felt really fast today and the bike worked much better. I could push at the maximum. Even though I lost a little on the second run, I still took pole, which feels great. Tyre choice could be important in Race 1, so we need to understand everything and be ready.”
WorldSSP Superpole Results
- Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) – 1’36.490
- Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory) +0.071
- Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +0.082
- Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.110
- Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.138
- Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) +0.156
Veneman Delights Home Crowd with Sportbike Pole
Dutch fans had even more to celebrate in the Sportbike class as Loris Veneman claimed his first Superpole at his home circuit.
The MTM Kawasaki rider had already topped Free Practice in the morning and then backed it up with a pole-winning lap of 1’42.499. It was a landmark result for the young Dutchman and a major boost heading into Race 1.
Jeffrey Buis made it a Dutch one-two, missing pole by only 0.006s in an incredibly close finish.
Suzuki’s progress also continued, with Kas Beekmans and Ferre Fleerackers placing fourth and sixth respectively, meaning three GSX-8R machines featured inside the top six.
Championship leader Antonio Torres recovered late in the session to secure a top ten grid position after a difficult run.
Loris Veneman – MTM Kawasaki
“This was a perfect result. The feeling from the bike wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but the lap times and position were excellent, so I’m happy. I think Race 1 will have a big leading group because the times were so close. I want to stay near the front and see how it develops. This track is even more enjoyable on this bike because everything happens faster and you have to work harder.”
Sportbike Superpole Results
- Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki)
- Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) +0.006
- Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.217
- Kas Beekmans (VLR Racing Team Suzuki) +0.266
- David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) +0.354
- Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) +0.363
Saturday Set Up for a Thriller
Friday at Assen belonged to Bulega and Ducati, but the margins behind suggest nothing is guaranteed. BMW, Yamaha and several independent teams remain close enough to challenge, while WorldSSP and Sportbike both promise tightly contested races.
If Day 1 was any indication, the Cathedral of Speed is ready to deliver another memorable weekend.
