Championship Leader Continues Impressive Form While Can Oncu Claims Another WorldSSP Pole Position
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway at Donington Park in scorching summer conditions on Friday, with championship leader Nicolo Bulega once again proving why he remains the rider to beat in 2026.
Under clear skies and temperatures exceeding 30°C, the Aruba.it Racing Ducati star topped the combined timesheets after two productive Free Practice sessions, while Ducati underlined its current dominance by placing six riders inside the top seven.
Elsewhere, the FIM Supersport World Championship saw Can Oncu continue his outstanding qualifying form by securing a fourth pole position of the season, with British rider Tom Booth-Amos delighting the home crowd by earning a front-row start.
With both championships entering a decisive stage of the campaign, Friday’s running provided an early indication of who could be fighting for victory across the weekend.
Bulega Continues Championship Charge at Donington
Ducati Star Fastest in Both Pace and Consistency
Nicolo Bulega wasted little time asserting himself around the 4.023-kilometre Donington Park circuit, finishing Friday with the fastest overall lap of 1:25.460 after completing an impressive 40 laps.
The Italian has been the benchmark throughout much of the 2026 WorldSBK season and arrived in Britain carrying significant momentum after a string of dominant performances. Despite leading the timesheets, Bulega insisted there is still room for improvement before Saturday’s qualifying and opening race.
While pleased with his race pace, the championship leader admitted there are still areas of the Ducati package that can be refined.
Bulega explained that although Donington Park is one of the circuits he enjoys, there are sections where he still believes improvements can be made to both the motorcycle setup and his riding.
His comments suggest the Aruba.it Racing Ducati squad will continue working overnight despite already holding a clear advantage over much of the field.
Ducati Once Again Controls the Timesheets
Six Bikes Fill Top Seven Positions
Friday’s practice sessions once again highlighted Ducati’s remarkable strength during the 2026 campaign.
Yari Montella emerged as Bulega’s closest challenger after producing a superb late lap to finish just over two-tenths behind the championship leader.
The Barni Spark Racing Team rider enjoyed an encouraging afternoon after overcoming setup problems that limited his pace during the opening session. More importantly, Montella completed a lengthy race simulation that gave the team valuable information on tyre performance in the hot conditions expected throughout the weekend.
His pace over a full race distance could prove just as significant as his outright speed, particularly if tyre degradation becomes a deciding factor during Saturday and Sunday’s races.
Completing the top three was Honda HRC rider Iker Lecuona, who remained among the fastest riders throughout the day despite admitting he never felt entirely comfortable on the motorcycle.
Although satisfied with his overall position, the Spaniard revealed the bike lacked consistency, particularly through Donington’s fast sweeping sections.
Lecuona explained that he felt particularly strong under braking and through the slower corners at the end of the lap, but struggled to carry the same confidence through the circuit’s high-speed direction changes.
Finding greater stability overnight could allow him to mount an even stronger challenge during qualifying.
Alex Lowes Leads Home Charge
British Rider Shows Strong Race Pace for Bimota
Alex Lowes once again demonstrated why Donington Park remains one of his strongest circuits.
The Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team rider finished fourth overall after concentrating much of his afternoon on long-run pace rather than chasing a single qualifying lap.
Lowes has enjoyed success at his home circuit throughout his career and looked immediately comfortable despite the extreme temperatures.
His consistency over longer stints suggests he could become one of Ducati’s biggest challengers once the racing begins.
Behind Lowes, fellow Briton Tarran Mackenzie produced another encouraging performance by setting the fifth-fastest time before his weekend unfortunately came to an abrupt conclusion.
Injury Ends Mackenzie’s Weekend
Home Rider Ruled Out After Heavy FP2 Crash
Friday’s action was overshadowed by a heavy accident involving Tarran Mackenzie during the closing stages of Free Practice 2.
The MGM Optical Express Racing rider crashed at Turn 12 and was immediately taken for medical assessment.
Subsequent examinations confirmed injuries to his left shoulder as well as his lower left leg and ankle.
Medical staff later declared Mackenzie unfit to continue, bringing an early end to what had initially looked like a highly promising home weekend.
His withdrawal represents a disappointing setback after an impressive opening day in which he had comfortably remained inside the top five.
Jake Dixon Makes Successful Return
British Rider Back in Action After Injury Lay-Off
Another British rider experienced a more encouraging Friday despite an early scare.
Jake Dixon, returning to competition after recovering from injury, crashed during the opening practice session at Coppice Corner.
Fortunately, the Honda HRC rider escaped without significant injury and returned to the circuit later in the day.
Despite losing valuable track time, Dixon steadily rebuilt his confidence and eventually finished 16th overall.
For a rider returning after several weeks away from competition, simply completing the day’s programme represented an important step ahead of the remainder of the weekend.
Bulega Remains Calm Despite Strong Start
Championship Leader Still Searching for Improvements
Although topping both sessions, Bulega insisted Friday represented only the beginning of the weekend.
The Italian explained that his race pace already feels competitive, but several aspects of the motorcycle still require refinement.
He admitted Donington remains a circuit where certain sectors naturally suit his riding style better than others, meaning further setup changes could unlock additional performance before qualifying.
Given Ducati’s current advantage, that prospect will concern the rest of the field.
Montella Encouraged by Afternoon Progress
Ducati Rider Solves Early Setup Problems
Yari Montella described Friday as a tale of two very different practice sessions.
The Italian admitted the motorcycle initially lacked the feeling he wanted during the morning, making it difficult to ride consistently or push with confidence.
Following several setup changes, however, the Barni Spark Racing Team transformed the bike’s behaviour for the afternoon session.
Montella said the long-run simulation provided valuable information regarding tyre wear before the team fitted fresh rubber for a final qualifying simulation.
Both improvements worked exactly as planned, leaving the Italian optimistic heading into Saturday.
Lecuona Searching for Greater Consistency
Honda Rider Looking to Unlock More Performance
Despite finishing third overall, Iker Lecuona believes much more performance remains available.
The Spaniard admitted he struggled to find a predictable feeling from the motorcycle, particularly through Donington’s fast and flowing first half of the lap.
While braking performance into slower corners remained one of his strongest areas, inconsistent handling prevented him from producing repeatable lap times.
Even so, his pace throughout Friday suggests Honda remains firmly in contention for another podium challenge if the team can solve those issues overnight.
Oncu Continues WorldSSP Qualifying Dominance
Turkish Star Claims Fourth Pole of the Season
The FIM Supersport World Championship delivered another thrilling Superpole session, with Can Oncu once again emerging fastest.
The Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing rider produced a superb lap of 1:28.650 to secure his fourth pole position of the 2026 season.
Oncu has established himself as one of the fastest single-lap riders in the championship, and Friday’s performance reinforced his growing reputation.
The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag following Alessandro Zaccone’s crash at Turn 10, but once running resumed, Oncu quickly returned to the top of the timing screens.
His ability to immediately regain momentum after the interruption highlighted both his confidence and the strength of the Yamaha package.
Arenas Continues Remarkable Consistency
Championship Leader Secures Front Row on Donington Debut
WorldSSP championship leader Albert Arenas once again demonstrated why he remains firmly in control of the title race.
Competing at Donington Park for the first time, the Spanish rider qualified second, finishing just over three-tenths behind pole.
Despite lacking previous racing experience at the circuit, Arenas adapted quickly to Donington’s unique layout and immediately established himself among the frontrunners.
Another front-row start provides an excellent opportunity to extend his championship advantage.
Booth-Amos Delights Home Supporters
Triumph Rider Earns First Front-Row Start of 2026
British fans had plenty to celebrate as Tom Booth-Amos delivered one of his strongest qualifying performances of the season.
The PTR Triumph Factory Racing rider secured third position, marking his first front-row start of the year.
Racing in front of home supporters always carries extra motivation, and Booth-Amos now has an excellent opportunity to challenge for a podium when the lights go out.
The result also represents an encouraging step forward for Triumph at one of the manufacturer’s most important home events.
Alcoba and Mahendra Enjoy Career-Best Qualifying
Young Riders Continue to Impress
Jeremy Alcoba and Aldi Mahendra both produced their strongest qualifying performances of the season.
Alcoba guided the Kawasaki WorldSSP Team machine to fourth position, while Mahendra continued his impressive rookie campaign by qualifying fifth for the AS BLU CRU Racing Team.
Both riders have steadily improved throughout the year and now find themselves well placed to challenge for valuable championship points.
Jaume Masia completed the top six as another title contender preparing for what promises to be a highly competitive opening race.
Oncu Focused on Turning Pole Into Victory
Yamaha Rider Confident but Not Complacent
Despite another outstanding qualifying lap, Can Oncu believes there is still work to do before Race 1.
The Turkish rider praised his team’s overnight improvements after finding strong pace during Friday’s opening practice.
He admitted Donington Park leaves little margin for error during a qualifying lap due to its flowing nature and technical changes of direction, making his pole position particularly satisfying.
However, Oncu stressed that race pace remains the priority, and further setup refinements will be made before Saturday’s opening contest.
Saturday Set for High-Stakes Racing
Friday’s action has established an intriguing picture across both championships.
Nicolo Bulega and Ducati continue to set the standard in WorldSBK, but Yari Montella, Iker Lecuona and home favourite Alex Lowes have all shown enough pace to challenge if conditions remain consistent.
Meanwhile, Can Oncu’s latest pole position has once again made him the rider to beat in WorldSSP, although Albert Arenas, Tom Booth-Amos and a tightly packed chasing group are all well placed to fight for victory.
With hot weather forecast to continue at Donington Park and championship battles entering a crucial phase, Saturday promises another day of intense competition at one of Britain’s most iconic racing circuits.
