Bulega Makes History at Estoril — Hat‑Trick Secures New Records, Title Lead Extends

The Circuito Estoril hosted a weekend of dominance from Nicolo Bulega as the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider completed a clean sweep of victories, shattered long‑standing benchmarks, and moved within touching distance of an unbeaten campaign. There was drama throughout the field, with late crashes, hard‑fought podiums, and title battles heating up across both WorldSBK and WorldSSP. Here’s the full story from Portugal.

WorldSBK Race 2 — Bulega Powers Clear to 29th Win

Lecuona Leads Early Before Bulega Takes Charge

When the lights went out, it was Iker Lecuona who rocketed from the line to snatch the holeshot — his third straight fast start of the weekend. He held the advantage for the opening six corners before Bulega dived past at Turn 6 to seize control. From there the reigning champion gradually edged away, extending his lead lap by lap to cross the finish line almost five seconds clear of his teammate.

The victory was Bulega’s 29th of the season — a staggering run of form that has rewritten the record books. His haul of 664 points is also a new all‑time high for a single campaign.

Bautista Crashes Out — Surra Steps Up for Podium

Behind the Ducati duo, the fight for third place was gripping. Alvaro Bautista was chasing his first podium since the opening round in Australia and locked onto the back of Alberto Surra as the laps ticked down. With five laps remaining, disaster struck: Bautista lost the front at Turn 1 and slid out of contention. It was a cruel end to a weekend where he had shown steady improvement.

Surra capitalised instantly to claim third — his third podium finish in as many races at Estoril, and a consistent run that has cemented his standing as one of the season’s rising stars.

Montella and Oliveira Battle Through

Starting from the fourth row, Yari Montella produced a determined ride to work his way up the order. He finished fourth, over seven seconds behind Surra, but the result was enough to secure the 2026 Best Independent Rider Award — a fitting reward for a season of impressive progress.

Home hero Miguel Oliveira had a race of two halves. He ran wide at Turn 6 on the opening lap and dropped from fourth to 13th, but fought back brilliantly through a tightly packed group to finish eighth, earning a warm ovation from the 36,257 fans who packed the circuit across the weekend.

Race 2 Top 6

Superpole Race — Bulega Equals Single‑Season Win Record

Earlier in the weekend, the Tissot Superpole Race delivered more history. Lecuona again led from the start but made a mistake at Turn 1 on Lap 3, handing the lead to Bulega — who then pulled clear to win by 0.734s. That victory was his 27th of the season, matching the single‑season benchmark set by Alvaro Bautista in his title‑winning campaign.

Surra completed the podium, passing Oliveira on the penultimate lap to secure back‑to‑back rostrums and a front‑row start for Race 2.

Superpole Race Top 3

Official Reactions

Nicolo Bulega — P1, Race 2

“This was one of the best weekends of the season — my feeling with the bike was perfect. My pace was incredible, especially in the second half of the race. I managed the tyres better than in Race 1 and that made all the difference. The team did an amazing job all weekend. Now I’m looking forward to Jerez — let’s finish the season in style.”

Iker Lecuona — P2, Race 2

“It was a tough weekend. I made a big mistake in the Superpole Race and that cost me a shot at the win. In Race 2 I was close for ten laps, then I lost the front at Turn 2 and almost went into the gravel. I backed off to bring it home. Nicolo was faster all weekend — that’s the reality. I’ll keep working and we’ll see what Jerez brings.”

Alberto Surra — P3, Race 2

“This is definitely my best weekend ever. The rear grip was fantastic in Race 2 and I could push hard and pass Alvaro. Three podiums in one weekend is amazing. Jerez is a difficult track for my style, but I’ll prepare well and aim for another strong result.”

Championship Picture — Bulega Pulls Clear Even More

• Bulega’s ninth hat‑trick of the season gives him a commanding 146‑point lead with just three races remaining.
• Montella has extended his advantage over Alex Lowes to 53 points in the battle for third — and only 62 points are on offer at the final round in Jerez.
• Ducati remains unbeaten in 2026 and is chasing its first clean sweep of a WorldSBK season since 2003.

WorldSSP — Alcoba Wins Red‑Flag Sprint, Arenas Crowned Champion

Red Flag Sets Up Six‑Lap Dash

WorldSSP’s second race was dramatically reshaped when Bahattin Sofuoglu crashed heavily at Turn 3, bringing out the red flags. The restart was scheduled for six laps, setting up a frantic sprint to the finish. Filippo Farioli led the restart but was quickly passed by Jeremy Alcoba, who then pulled clear to win by 0.378s — his third victory in four races.

Farioli held on for second, securing his second career podium, with Valentin Debise completing the top three. World Champion Albert Arenas suffered a technical failure and failed to finish, while Race 1 winner Tom Booth‑Amos crashed out before the red flag.

Race 2 Top 5

WorldSSP Standings

Alcoba’s surge moves him level with Masia and just five points behind Oncu in the fight for third overall.

What’s Next — Jerez Decider

The 2026 season concludes at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. Bulega has the chance to cap an extraordinary campaign with a final flourish and confirm his place among the sport’s all‑time greats. Behind him, the battles for third in both WorldSBK and WorldSSP remain wide open. Don’t miss the season finale.