The summer break is well and truly over — and Nicolo Bulega has picked up exactly where he left off. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati championship leader stormed to his 24th victory of a remarkable 2026 season in the opening WorldSBK race of the French round at Magny‑Cours, though his path to the chequered flag was far from straightforward. A mid‑race red flag turned the contest into a 12‑lap sprint, and his teammate Iker Lecuona pushed him all the way to the line in a thrilling restart that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Chaos Erupts Early — Red Flag Stops the Race
The opening nine laps were nothing short of chaotic. Before the race was even halfway through, a string of high‑profile crashes brought proceedings to a halt. Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) went down heavily at Turn 14, triggering the red flag. He wasn’t alone: Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha), Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW), Mattia Rato (Motoxracing), and Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha) all crashed out in separate incidents before the red flag flew. Miraculously, all riders escaped serious injury, but the race was stopped and the field prepared for a shortened restart.
When the action resumed, Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC) was unable to take part, the team diagnosing a technical failure that ruled him out for the day.
Restart Rivalry: Bulega vs Lecuona — Teammates Go Head‑to‑Head
At the time of the red flag, Bulega held just a 0.5s advantage over his teammate Lecuona. That gap was wiped away, and the stage was set for a 12‑lap showdown. When the lights went out for the second time, it was Lecuona who seized the initiative, leading the opening lap. But Bulega responded instantly. On lap two, he struck at Turn 5, diving for the lead. The pair raced side‑by‑side through the sweeping Turn 6 complex, inches apart at full lean, before Bulega held the tighter inside line and edged ahead.
Lecuona wasn’t done. He lost momentum slightly, and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing) saw his chance, lunging at Turn 8 to snatch second place. Lecuona fought back immediately, reasserting his position and closing back onto Bulega’s tail. From that moment, however, Bulega turned up the wick. He steadily pulled away, setting a new lap record in the process, and crossed the line more than three seconds clear to take another dominant victory.
Behind the leading Ducatis, Sam Lowes completed the podium — a solid third place that strengthens his hold on third in the championship standings, finishing over two seconds clear of the battle for fourth. That contest was decided on lap six: Alex Lowes (Bimota by Kawasaki) had held fourth from the start, but Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing) found a way past at Turn 13 and held on to secure fourth.
Further back, Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) had a nightmare warm‑up lap and crashed, but remounted, took the start, and fought his way back to sixth — a remarkable recovery. Axel Bassani (Bimota by Kawasaki) also impressed, climbing from the sixth row on the restart to finish seventh.
Rider Reactions
Nicolo Bulega (P1):“It’s fantastic to win after the long summer break. I’ve really missed this feeling. It was tough after the red flag because we had to make a second start and I knew Iker was strong. I told myself it was time to give it everything and go for the win. Restarts are always difficult because you need to stay fully focused through those opening laps. In the end, it worked out well. I still think we can improve the bike a little because even though I feel good it’s not 100% yet.”
Iker Lecuona (P2):“I had bad luck with that red flag because I think I could have won this one. Nicolo had an advantage with the new tyre, as usual, but as the tyre wears I always get stronger. Before the red flag, I was on my best lap time and I was gaining — so the race might have played out differently. I’m happy because I was keeping pace ahead of Sam, which is not easy at this track where he’s fast and consistent. Finishing second here is no small thing. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Sam Lowes (P3):“I’m really pleased with how today went. There was a small mistake in FP3 but I was happy with my lap in Superpole. Starting second is a good result, especially with the Superpole Race tomorrow in mind. The main race played out as I expected with the top two just a bit faster than me. I need to keep working on a couple of areas — the pace is there in every sector, but I’m missing some consistency. I’ll go through the data tonight and try to bring it all together.”
WorldSSP: Can Oncu Secures First Win of 2026 in Thriller
Over in WorldSSP, Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) finally claimed his first victory of the season — and what a way to do it. After six podium finishes without standing on the top step, the Turk fought a relentless 19‑lap duel with Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha), the lead changing hands five times before Oncu edged across the line by barely 0.107s.
It was a remarkable recovery drive. Starting from pole, home favourite Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros) made an opening‑lap error and dropped down the order — only to fight back spectacularly to third, delighting the French crowd. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) took fourth, while championship drama unfolded behind them: title leader Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing) collided with Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki) at Turn 5 on lap three. Both crashed; Arenas was unhurt but suffered a bruised right hand and will undergo a medical assessment before the next race. Race stewards are investigating the incident.
Can Oncu (P1):“After what happened in Superpole I was only hoping for a podium — but it looks like coming from the back works better for me! I’m very happy and thankful to the team because they gave me a great bike. During the race I was just trying to stay relaxed — normally I get too excited. Kenan taught me how to be calmer on the bike and I trained every day. Hard work pays off, and today was special. We’ve been planning this first win with Ten Kate all year — and today was the day.”
Tom Booth‑Amos (PTR Triumph) will start Race Two from pole after setting the fastest lap of the race, joined on the front row by Aldi Mahendra and Jorge Navarro — who was handed a Long Lap Penalty for contact with Debise and finished seventh. Debise and Oncu start from row two, while Arenas drops to row four.
WorldSSP Race One Top Six
| 1 | Can Oncu | Pata Yamaha Ten Kate | — |
| 2 | Roberto Garcia | GMT94 Yamaha | +0.107s |
| 3 | Valentin Debise | EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros | +0.392s |
| 4 | Lucas Mahias | GMT94 Yamaha | +2.910s |
| 5 | Federico Caricasulo | EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros | +4.519s |
| 6 | Filippo Farioli | VFT Racing Yamaha | +5.323s |
Fastest lap: Lucas Mahias — 1:42.013s
World Sportbike: Seabright Snatches Victory After Salvador Penalty
Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) claimed his maiden World Championship victory in the most dramatic fashion. Championship leader David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki) had led from pole and looked set to cruise to another win — until a track‑limits infringement at the final corner earned him a penalty that dropped him to second. Seabright, who had started fifth and fought his way through the lead group, crossed the line first to secure a famous win.
The top five were separated by barely a second all race. Antonio Torres completed the podium in third, followed by Xavi Artigas and Loris Veneman (both MTM Kawasaki). Ferre Fleerackers took sixth. Seabright’s fastest lap also earned him pole position for Race Two, with Marco Gaggi and Carter Thompson joining him on the front row. Salvador drops to row three.
Fenton Seabright (P1):“We all know Salvador is the championship leader and a tough rival. I knew we had the pace to run at the front, and I knew the last lap would be elbow‑to‑elbow — and that’s exactly what it was. It was a great battle and I’m just glad I came out on top. We’ve been hunting this win all year and we knew it was within reach. It’s an amazing feeling standing on the top step and listening to the national anthem.”
World Sportbike Race One Top Six
| 1 | Fenton Seabright | PHR Performance Triumph | — |
| 2 | David Salvador | Team ProDina Kawasaki | +0.063s (penalty) |
| 3 | Antonio Torres | Team ProDina Kawasaki | +0.274s |
| 4 | Xavi Artigas | MTM Kawasaki | +0.478s |
| 5 | Loris Veneman | MTM Kawasaki | +0.941s |
| 6 | Ferre Fleerackers | Track & Trades Wixx Racing | +1.745s |
Fastest lap: Fenton Seabright — 1:46.328s
What Happens Next
With Bulega extending his lead and looking increasingly unstoppable, the focus now shifts to the Superpole Race on Saturday and the second full race on Sunday. Lecuona is closing the gap — and knows he could have won without the red flag. Sam Lowes remains consistent and ever‑present. Meanwhile, Can Oncu has broken his duck in WorldSSP, and Fenton Seabright has announced himself as a race winner in World Sportbike. The French round is far from over — and if Race One is anything to go by, the rest of the weekend will be absolutely unmissable.
