Bulega beats brace of Bimotas in Superpole race

Ducati star’s unbeaten Island run remains intact but he was made to work for it

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took a race win the hard way in the ten-lap Superpole Race, as he was passed by three riders early on, before a controlled push-back saw him win by 2.752 seconds.

The best race yet for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, since they joined the class in 2025, saw Axel Bassani take his first bimota podium in second place, ahead of his team-mate Alex Lowes, in third.

Early convincing leader Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing) was fourth, just 0.022 seconds behind Lowes’s bimota.

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati) was also in contention for a podium and was just less than four seconds from the race winner Bulega.

A remarkable sixth place for Race One struggler Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) saw him just 4.250 seconds from a win, with Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) seventh. Just over three seconds back on Bautista, day one podium finisher Lorenzo Baldassarri (GO Eleven Ducati) was eighth, Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) ninth and Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) tenth, with Independent rider Tarran Mackenzie (MGM BONOVO Racing Ducati) immediately behind.

Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was on his way to a strong top ten but lost ten seconds on the final lap to place 18th.

One more full distance 22-lap race will take place this afternoon at 16.00 local time in Australia.

2026 ASBK PHILLIP ISLAND RACE 3