Bulega Delivers Perfect Weekend: Ducati Star Edges Within Reach of Title

Nicolo Bulega has left the French Round on the brink of championship glory. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati ace completed a clean sweep at Magny‑Cours, winning both the Tissot Superpole Race and the full-length Race Two to cap an extraordinary weekend. With a maximum points haul of 62 points across the three races, Bulega has stretched his championship lead to a staggering 146 points over teammate Iker Lecuona — meaning the Italian could officially clinch the 2026 WorldSBK crown at his home round in Cremona next time out.

More than 50,000 fans packed the Circuit de Nevers Magny‑Cours across the weekend, and they were treated to another masterclass from the season’s dominant force. But behind Bulega’s march to the title, there were thrills, spills, and maiden victories across all three classes as the summer break felt a lifetime away.

Superpole Race: Ducati Teammates Duel Again — Bulega Prevails

The 10‑lap Tissot Superpole Race on Saturday afternoon was a carbon copy of the main race the day before — a straight fight between the two Aruba.it Ducati stars. Bulega nailed the holeshot into Turn One, but Lecuona wasted no time launching an attack at Turn Five. The pair traded blows lap after lap, running side‑by‑side through the fast Turn Six complex, until Lecuona ran slightly wide exiting the corner. That small mistake was all Bulega needed to settle into a rhythm, edge clear, and take the win by just over two seconds.

Further back, Sam Lowes was having another strong run inside the top three — until disaster struck on the final lap. The ELF Marc VDS rider crashed at Turn Three, handing third place to Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team). It was yet another strong result for the Italian, who extended his hold on third place in the championship standings.

Superpole Race Top Three

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.073s
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.400s

Race Two: Red Flag Can’t Stop Bulega’s Hat‑Trick

Sunday’s feature race was shortened to 19 laps after a red flag, but once again there was no stopping the championship leader. Bulega converted pole into the lead on the opening lap and immediately began stretching away. By the time the red flag flew — triggered by a heavy crash for Tommy Bridewell at Turn Three — Bulega was already more than five seconds clear of Lecuona. The restart changed nothing: Bulega controlled the pace flawlessly to cross the line and complete his eighth hat‑trick of the season.

Behind the Ducati duo, the battle for the final podium spot was thrilling. Front‑row starter Yari Montella dropped behind Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) early on, the Italian rookie holding third for five impressive laps before falling back. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) also moved through to take fourth, while Alex Lowes (Bimota by Kawasaki) shadowed the group all the way to the flag.

In the closing stages, Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing) showed his race‑craft, easing past Bridewell at Turn Eight to claim sixth — before the Englishman’s accident brought out the red. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki) was promoted to seventh as a result.

Rider Reactions

Nicolo Bulega (P1):“Iker was very strong all weekend — every time he pushes, he raises the bar. So it feels great to win, especially in Race Two, the last race of the weekend. I’m in perfect shape with the bike, so I’m really happy. We have a big advantage now. I’m looking forward to Cremona — it would be amazing to win the title there. But as I’ve always said, what matters most to me is winning races. The championship is a bonus, but racing is what I love.”

Iker Lecuona (P2):“I said yesterday it would be incredibly difficult to beat Nicolo — and that proved true. But our goal was to find those areas where we could close the gap, and I want to thank the team for backing every change I asked for. We ran three completely different setups across the weekend to gather data. This morning the bike felt great; this afternoon we adjusted it further and I struggled. It was a tough race, but a very useful weekend — we leave here knowing much more than when we arrived.”

Yari Montella (P3):“We made a big change to the bike for the Superpole Race and it paid off immediately. Today was easily my best race ever — I found a rhythm I haven’t had all season and felt completely in control. Towards the end the front tyre began to slide a little, but we held on for another podium. Extending our championship advantage is the most important thing — every point counts.”

WorldSSP: Roberto Garcia Seals Maiden Win On Final Lap

The WorldSSP contest was equally dramatic. A red flag flew after 11 laps when Tom Booth‑Amos (PTR Triumph) crashed heavily at Turn Three, bringing a premature halt to the first phase. At the time, Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate) held the lead — and duly lined up on pole for the five‑lap restart.

Oncu looked set to claim back‑to‑back wins, but on the final lap he braided too late for the tight Turn 15 right‑hander and ran wide. Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) saw his chance, dived through, and crossed the line to secure his first ever WorldSSP victory — and a memorable home win for the GMT94 squad. The Spaniard had finished runner‑up to Oncu just 24 hours earlier; this time he stood on the top step.

Championship leader Albert Arenas raced with a bruised right hand sustained in Race One, yet produced a heroic drive. He attacked for the lead on the restart and briefly headed the field before settling for second — extending his title advantage to 70 points over Valentin Debise. Oncu remains third, just six points ahead of Jaume Masia.

Roberto Garcia (P1):“This feels absolutely incredible. Yesterday I said I was here to fight for the win — today we made it happen. The red flag actually helped me — it gave me a moment to reset and believe I could attack with confidence. This victory is for the whole GMT94 team and Yamaha. We know we have the pace to fight at the front every weekend now.”

Race 2 Results

1. Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha)
2. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +0.414s
3. Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory) +0.761s
4. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.841s
5. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) +1.071s
6. Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing Yamaha) +1.629s

World Sportbike: Artigas Sweeps Through for Last‑Lap Win

The World Sportbike race delivered one of the most thrilling finishes of the entire weekend. Starting from the fourth row, Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) carved his way through the field lap by lap, saving his best move for the very last corner. Sweeping down the hill into Turn 15, the Spaniard braved it on the brakes to dive past the leaders and snatch victory by a whisker — his second win of the season.

Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) backed up his recent run of podiums with another strong second place, while Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) completed the rostrum after a brave late move on championship leader David Salvador.

Salvador still holds a 30‑point lead over Artigas in the standings, but the title race took another twist when Antonio Torres suffered a technical failure and retired — dropping him to 51 points behind in third. Kawasaki now holds a commanding 74‑point lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

Xavi Artigas (P1):“We started from 11th place — so to win like this is unbelievable. After yesterday’s race I told the team I needed better braking stability. They made exactly the changes I asked for, and today I was able to brake later and deeper than anyone else. That move at Turn 15 was all confidence — confidence in the bike, confidence in the setup, and confidence in the work we’ve been doing. This win belongs to the whole team.”

Race 2 Results

1. Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki)
2. Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) +0.098s
3. Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) +0.331s
4. David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) +0.550s
5. Pepe Osuna (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) +0.658s
6. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.756s 

The Road to Cremona

When the chequered flag fell on Sunday evening, the picture was crystal clear: Nicolo Bulega is one weekend away from being crowned WorldSBK Champion. With a 146‑point lead and just two rounds remaining, the Italian only needs to score modestly at his home circuit of Cremona to lift the trophy. The rest of the field is now racing for pride — and for second place. But as we’ve seen all season, second place is the best anyone else can hope for. Bulega and Ducati are simply in a league of their own.