Nicolò Bulega led the way in Ducati’s blue-riband World Ducati Week race at Misano, with Marc Marquez and Australia’s Josh Waters among the big-name starters
Nicolò Bulega extended his unbeaten 2026 run with a commanding performance at the Lenovo Race of Champions at Misano, taking top honours in one of the headline events of World Ducati Week 2026.
Staged at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, the annual Ducati showcase brought together riders from MotoGP, WorldSBK, WorldSSP and national-level competition, all competing on identical Panigale V4 Tricolore machines as part of the Italian manufacturer’s centenary celebrations.
Bulega wasted no time asserting himself at the front of the 10-lap race, quickly establishing control and managing the contest from the opening laps to the chequered flag. In front of a packed crowd, the Italian underlined his form with a polished and authoritative win.
Alberto Surra claimed second place, while Lorenzo Baldassarri completed the podium in third after a competitive scrap behind the runaway winner.
Yari Montella finished just off the rostrum in fourth, with two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia rounding out the top five. British Superbike rider Tommy Bridewell impressed in sixth, ahead of Franco Morbidelli in seventh and Fabio Di Giannantonio in eighth.
Lukas Tulovic secured ninth, with Hafizh Syahrin completing the top 10. Tarran Mackenzie was 11th, while MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez crossed the line in 12th. PJ Jacobsen followed in 13th.
Australian Josh Waters finished 14th in the all-star field, giving local fans a point of interest in the one-make Ducati contest as the brand celebrated its 100-year milestone.
The race also featured a pair of retirements, with Michele Pirro and Alvaro Bautista both failing to finish.
As always, the Race of Champions proved a major drawcard at World Ducati Week, offering fans a rare chance to see some of Ducati’s biggest names go head-to-head on equal machinery – though it’s not hard to imagine that the MotoGP riders in particular have a lot more to lose than to gain from the event if they injure themselves.
Nicolò Bulega
“It has been a fantastic weekend, ended with this victory on my Panigale V4, which is an incredible bike. Thank you to everyone. It was wonderful to see so many people in the grandstands over these days, and especially today—it felt like a real race. Congratulations to Ducati on its centenary and, above all, on this World Ducati Week. It is not easy to organise an event of this scale, with so many people and so many activities, and it has been truly spectacular.”
Standings
1st – Nicolò Bulega
2nd – Alberto Surra
3rd – Lorenzo Baldassarri
4th – Yari Montella
5th – Francesco Bagnaia
6th – Tommy Bridewell
7th – Franco Morbidelli
8th – Fabio Di Giannantonio
9th – Lukas Tulovic
10th – Hafizh Syahrin
11th – Tarran Mackenzie
12th – Marc Márquez
13th – PJ Jacobsen
14th – Josh Waters
DNF – Michele Pirro
DNF – Álvaro Bautista
