No Shock at Phillip Island as Bulega Sets the Standard, Bimota Lead the Response
The first competitive day of the 2026 season at the fast and unforgiving 4.445km Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuitunfolded much as many expected: Nicolo Bulega at the top of the timesheets.
The Superbike World Championship pre-season favourite wasted little time stamping his authority on Friday, finishing nearly half a second clear of his closest challenger, Alex Lowes. Around a circuit that rewards flow, edge grip and absolute commitment through long, sweeping corners, Bulega looked immediately at ease.
A red flag interruption—caused by wildlife straying onto the track, a not uncommon occurrence at Phillip Island—cut short the afternoon running. Even so, Bulega managed to complete a composed nine-lap sequence before the stoppage, underlining not just raw speed but consistency. That balance between outright pace and tyre management is critical here, where rear degradation often dictates race outcomes. Having claimed a clean sweep of victories at this venue last season, the Italian once again appears the reference point heading into Saturday.
Bimota Close the Gap
If Bulega set the benchmark, the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team showed they are not far behind. Alex Lowes made a notable step forward in the afternoon session, pushing the KB998 Rimini into second overall. The Briton’s day ended prematurely with a crash at Turn 4 after losing the front while attempting to improve on a competitive lap, but the underlying pace was clear.
The KB998 package has looked increasingly refined since pre-season testing, particularly in high-speed stability—an essential trait at Phillip Island where long corners like Turn 12 place sustained load on the front tyre. Axel Bassani reinforced that impression by securing fourth on combined times, giving the team two bikes firmly inside the leading group.
While Bulega may have a margin in hand, the gap is not insurmountable. On race distance, especially with changing wind and track temperatures, that difference could narrow quickly.
Sam Lowes Competitive Despite Fall
Sam Lowes ended Friday third fastest, although his day was not without drama. A Turn 1 crash during the second session slightly interrupted his programme as he evaluated a new rear tyre option from Pirelli. Despite the fall, the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team rider completed 33 laps and emerged as the leading Independent rider.
Lowes repeatedly dipped into the 1’29s whenever he pushed, suggesting his pace is genuine rather than opportunistic. The focus for his side of the garage now shifts to analysing data from the hotter afternoon session, when several rivals improved their times as track grip evolved.
Behind the top three, Independent Ducati machinery continued to show strength. Alvaro Bautista, Lorenzo Baldassarri and Yari Montella completed the top seven, demonstrating the depth of performance within the Panigale V4 R camp.
Gerloff Progressing, BMW Adapting
Garrett Gerloff produced a quietly impressive performance for the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team, finishing ninth overall and placing inside the top ten in both sessions. Reunited with long-time crew chief Les Pearson, the American looks increasingly settled in his second season aboard the ZX-10RR. Stability under braking and improved corner exit traction have been noticeable gains compared to last year’s struggles.
Meanwhile, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team continues to integrate its new rider pairing. Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci ended the day tenth and twelfth respectively as they work to extract the best from the BMW M 1000 RR. Both riders are still in an adaptation phase, learning the nuances of the inline-four platform at one of the calendar’s most demanding circuits.
Rider Reaction – WorldSBK
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – P1
“Today was positive. This morning we tested a new setup and I had a strong feeling, especially when the conditions were cooler and the track was faster. The afternoon was more challenging because of the heat. Overall, I’m happy with the bike and I can push with confidence. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) – P2
“It’s been a solid Friday. In FP2 we ran the new tyre Pirelli brought and completed a longer run, which was important preparation for the race. I had some traffic during that stint, and when I found clear track and pushed, I made a small mistake at Turn 4 and lost the front. Still, the pace is strong. Bulega looks slightly ahead, but we’re close enough to make it interesting.”
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) – P3
“Whenever I pushed today I was in the 1’29s, which is encouraging. We’re competitive and focused on understanding the tyres. I crashed while testing the new rear in FP2, but aside from that it’s been a productive day. We’re in podium contention, though we need to study the data carefully because others made gains this afternoon.”
Combined Results After FP2
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 1’28.858s
- Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.496s
- Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.524s
- Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.610s
- Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.624s
- Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.626s
Masia the Benchmark in WorldSSP, Bayliss Thrills the Home Crowd
In the Supersport category, Jaume Masia continued his commanding form. After topping testing and Friday practice, the Supersport World Championship contender completed the set by claiming the first Tissot Superpole of the season. The Orelac Racing Verdnatura rider secured pole by 0.172 seconds—his second career pole position.
Masia admitted it was more challenging than earlier in the week, as rivals closed the gap following multiple days of track time. Even so, his underlying race pace remains strong heading into Saturday.
The home crowd had plenty to cheer about thanks to Oli Bayliss. The PTR Triumph Factory Racing rider delivered a career-best qualifying result to secure second on the grid. Bayliss has looked confident all weekend and will carry genuine expectations into race day.
His teammate Tom Booth-Amos endured a violent Turn 11 highside that brought out a red flag with 15 minutes remaining. Fortunately, his earlier time was sufficient for fifth on the grid, keeping him on the second row.
A new manufacturer also made an impression. Valentin Debise placed the ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing entry on the front row in third, marking an eye-catching debut for the Chinese-backed project. Completing 20 laps in the session, Debise appeared composed and competitive throughout.
Can Oncu, now with Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing after finishing runner-up in last year’s championship, qualified fourth—mirroring his grid position at Phillip Island twelve months ago.
Superpole Results – WorldSSP
- Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) – 1’32.115s
- Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.172s
- Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) +0.324s
- Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.335s
- Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.439s
- Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.502s
With Friday complete, the early narrative is clear. Bulega remains the man to beat in WorldSBK, but bimota are within striking range. In WorldSSP, Masia holds the advantage—though Bayliss has the momentum of a nation behind him.
Now the real test begins.
Image Credit Official WorldSBK
