Aruba.it Racing Ducati Secures Dominant One-Two While Petrucci Suffers Heavy Crash in Race 1

The opening WorldSBK race at Autodrom Most delivered everything expected from one of the championship’s most demanding circuits — intense factory battles, dramatic incidents, red-flag interruptions and another commanding performance from championship leader Nicolo Bulega.

After securing pole position earlier in the day, Bulega converted his pace into victory during a tense and strategic Race 1 contest, but the Italian was forced to work far harder than the final margin suggested.

The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider spent much of the restarted race under relentless pressure from teammate Iker Lecuona, with the two factory Ducati riders trading positions and pushing each other to the limit throughout the closing stages.

In the end, Bulega’s composure and tyre management proved decisive as he pulled clear over the final laps to secure another crucial victory in the 2026 WorldSBK title fight.

The race itself was overshadowed early by a heavy crash involving Danilo Petrucci, which forced race control to deploy the red flag after only a few laps of action.

Petrucci was later diagnosed with a fractured coccyx following medical examinations at Most hospital, ruling the Italian out for the remainder of the weekend and delivering a major setback to BMW’s hopes at the Czech Round.

Behind the leading Ducati duo, Yari Montella secured another strong podium result, completing a Ducati lockout of the top three positions and reinforcing the manufacturer’s growing dominance at Most.

Meanwhile, Garrett Gerloff produced his strongest performance of the season for Kawasaki, while battles throughout the top ten once again demonstrated the depth and competitiveness currently defining the WorldSBK grid.

Red Flag Chaos Disrupts Early Stages of Race 1

Petrucci Crash Brings Immediate Interruption

The race initially began perfectly for pole-sitter Nicolo Bulega, who launched cleanly into the lead and immediately attempted to establish control at the front.

However, the opening phase was quickly interrupted following a major crash for Danilo Petrucci at Turn 13.

The ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider suffered a heavy impact after losing control through one of Most’s fastest sections, prompting immediate concern from marshals and race officials.

Given the severity of the incident and the required track cleanup, race control red-flagged the race shortly afterwards.

Petrucci was transported for precautionary medical checks before doctors confirmed a fracture to the coccyx, ending his participation for the weekend.

The injury represents another frustrating setback for the experienced Italian, who had shown promising pace throughout practice and qualifying.

For BMW, the loss of Petrucci also removed one of the manufacturer’s strongest contenders at a circuit that traditionally rewards aggressive braking and physical riding styles.

Bulega and Lecuona Deliver Intense Factory Ducati Duel

Teammates Push Each Other to the Limit

Once the race restarted, attention immediately shifted to the intra-team battle developing at Aruba.it Racing Ducati.

Bulega initially controlled the pace after the restart, but Iker Lecuona remained glued to the rear of the championship leader throughout the race.

The Spaniard looked particularly aggressive under braking, especially through Most’s tighter first sector where he repeatedly challenged Bulega into corner entry.

Despite riding identical Ducati Panigale V4 R machinery, the contrast in riding styles between the teammates became one of the race’s defining features.

Bulega carried more corner speed and focused on smooth exits, while Lecuona attacked harder on the brakes and attempted to unsettle the leader into slower corners.

For several laps the pressure steadily intensified before Lecuona finally managed to move into the lead.

The overtake briefly suggested the possibility of an upset victory, but Bulega responded immediately.

The championship leader carefully managed his tyres during the middle phase of the race and gradually rebuilt momentum as the laps counted down.

With three laps remaining, Bulega reclaimed the lead and immediately increased the pace.

From that point onwards, the Italian controlled the race expertly, opening a decisive gap while Lecuona’s rear tyre performance began to fade under the strain of the earlier attack.

The victory further strengthens Bulega’s position in the championship standings and continues his remarkably consistent start to the 2026 campaign.

Lecuona Delivers One of His Strongest WorldSBK Performances

Spaniard Confirms Growing Confidence on Ducati Machinery

Although victory narrowly escaped him, Iker Lecuona emerged from Most with arguably one of the strongest performances of his WorldSBK career.

The Spanish rider not only matched Bulega’s pace for the majority of the race but also demonstrated growing confidence with the Ducati package across long race distance.

Lecuona admitted afterwards that tyre degradation ultimately prevented him from maintaining pressure during the closing laps.

The Spaniard pushed particularly hard during the opening stages while attempting to close the initial gap to Bulega, and that early aggression eventually impacted grip levels later in the race.

Even so, his pace remained highly competitive throughout.

The performance also highlighted how rapidly Lecuona has adapted to Ducati machinery this season.

Known previously for his aggressive riding style in both MotoGP and Honda WorldSBK competition, Lecuona now appears increasingly capable of balancing aggression with race management.

If that development continues, he could become a regular victory contender throughout the remainder of the season.

Montella Secures Another Important Podium Finish

Barni Ducati Rider Continues Strong 2026 Campaign

Yari Montella completed an all-Ducati podium after another mature and disciplined ride for Barni Spark Racing Team.

Starting from the front row, the Italian initially attempted to remain with the leading factory duo during the opening laps.

However, as the race developed, Montella focused on preserving tyre life and securing valuable championship points rather than overextending himself trying to follow Bulega and Lecuona.

That strategy proved effective.

While unable to maintain the leaders’ pace over the full race distance, Montella comfortably secured third position and remained clear of the chasing pack throughout the second half of the race.

The result continues what has become an increasingly impressive season for the Italian rider, who has steadily established himself as one of the championship’s most consistent independent Ducati competitors.

Gerloff Delivers Best Result of the Season for Kawasaki

American Rider Continues Most Momentum

Garrett Gerloff backed up Friday’s impressive pace by securing fourth position — his best finish of the 2026 season so far.

The Kawasaki WorldSBK Team rider once again looked comfortable around Most’s flowing layout and benefited from strong consistency across race distance.

Gerloff spent much of the race battling near the edge of the podium group before eventually settling into a comfortable fourth-place finish.

The American appeared particularly strong through the fast middle sector where the Kawasaki’s stability under direction changes allowed him to maintain competitive rhythm.

After several difficult weekends earlier in the year, Most may finally represent a turning point for Gerloff and Kawasaki’s season.

A strong Sunday result would further reinforce the progress shown throughout the Czech Round.

Bassani and Baldassarri Continue Strong Independent Form

Tight Midfield Battles Shape Race Behind Ducati Leaders

Behind the leading group, several important battles unfolded throughout the top ten.

Axel Bassani secured fifth place for bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team after another aggressive and determined ride.

The Italian continued showing the fighting style that has made him one of the paddock’s most entertaining racers, while the bimota package once again demonstrated encouraging pace.

Lorenzo Baldassarri also impressed by finishing sixth for Team GoEleven.

The former Moto2 rider continues adapting well to WorldSBK competition and delivered another composed race performance despite the difficult conditions and interruptions.

Meanwhile, Alberto Surra’s race became compromised after receiving a Long Lap Penalty for causing an incident involving Sam Lowes during an earlier midfield battle.

The penalty significantly altered the fight for fourth position and allowed Gerloff and Bassani to secure stronger finishes.

Ducati Strength at Most Becoming Increasingly Clear

Panigale V4 R Dominates Across Long Race Distance

Saturday’s Race 1 further reinforced Ducati’s growing advantage at Most.

The Panigale V4 R once again appeared exceptionally strong under acceleration while also maintaining impressive tyre performance over race distance.

Most’s stop-start layout heavily rewards braking stability and traction on corner exit — two areas where Ducati currently appears particularly competitive.

The factory Aruba squad also demonstrated excellent race management throughout the weekend, especially regarding tyre usage and pace control during the latter stages of the race.

While other manufacturers remain competitive over single laps, Ducati’s race pace advantage currently looks increasingly difficult to overcome.

Debise Battles Back From Penalty to Win Supersport Thriller

French Rider Claims Fourth Victory of the Season

WorldSSP delivered another spectacular race as Valentin Debise recovered from a grid penalty to secure victory in dramatic fashion.

After receiving a three-place grid penalty following Friday’s qualifying session, the French rider started from sixth position but steadily worked his way through the field.

Debise eventually took control of the race during the closing stages and produced the fastest lap on the final tour to secure victory by just over six tenths of a second.

The race itself remained incredibly close throughout, with less than a second separating the podium finishers at the chequered flag.

Can Oncu initially led from pole position and once again demonstrated excellent pace for Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing.

However, the Turkish rider came under increasing pressure late in the race from both Debise and championship leader Albert Arenas.

Despite narrowly missing victory, Oncu secured a fourth consecutive podium finish and continues building momentum after a difficult start to the season.

Arenas meanwhile collected another valuable podium result and further strengthened his championship campaign through consistent scoring.

Jaume Masia also produced one of the standout recovery rides of the race.

Starting from the fourth row, the Spaniard fought through the field to finish fourth and secured an important front-row start for Sunday’s race thanks to his fastest lap time.

Debise’s winning performance also produced a new Supersport track record around Most with a stunning lap of 1:34.336.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

1. Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory)
2. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.639s
3. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +0.877s
4. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) +1.760s
5. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.865s
6. Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +5.279s

Vannucci Secures Aprilia’s First Win of 2026 in WorldSSP300

Italian Rider Prevails in Last-Lap Drama

WorldSSP300 once again produced chaotic and unpredictable racing as Matteo Vannucci secured his first victory of the 2026 season for Revo-M2 and Aprilia.

The Italian led for almost the entire race but nearly lost victory after a mistake at Turn 2 on the penultimate lap opened the door for David Salvador and Jeffrey Buis.

Despite the error, Vannucci responded immediately and reclaimed control before narrowly defeating Buis at the finish line by only 0.059 seconds.

The race’s most dramatic moment arguably came from David Salvador, who produced an extraordinary save at Turn 15 on the final lap after nearly losing the front of his Kawasaki.

Remarkably, Salvador managed to keep the bike upright using his elbow before immediately rejoining the fight and attacking again into Turn 20.

The Spanish rider eventually finished third but leaves Most with the championship lead by a single point over Buis.

WorldSSP300 Race 1 Results

1. Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2)
2. Jeffrey Buis (Track&Trades Wixx Racing) +0.059s
3. David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) +0.936s
4. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) +0.950s
5. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +1.013s
6. Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) +1.027s

Sunday at Most Promises Another Explosive Day of Racing

Ducati Still Leads the Way but Rivals Continue Closing In

Saturday’s racing at Most once again demonstrated why the Czech circuit has become one of the most unpredictable and entertaining venues on the modern WorldSBK calendar.

Nicolo Bulega may have strengthened his championship position with another victory, but Iker Lecuona’s pace showed the Aruba Ducati hierarchy is far from straightforward heading into Sunday.

Behind them, Kawasaki, bimota and BMW continue searching for ways to close the gap, while the incredibly close midfield battles suggest further surprises remain possible.

With tyre management, weather conditions and race strategy all continuing to play major roles, the final day at Most still feels completely open.