#AragónWorldSBK Saturday Reflections

Posted May 31, 2026

Share this news with others...

Credit: WorldSBK

Nicolò Bulega continued his dominant start to the 2026 season by smashing the Superpole lap record at MotorLand Aragón to secure pole position with a stunning 1’46.836.

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider lowered the benchmark by almost half a second, claiming the fifteenth pole position of his WorldSBK career and maintaining his perfect run of form this season. Bulega’s effort also marked his sixth consecutive Superpole success, underlining his control of the championship heading into Race One.

Joining him on the front row was teammate Iker Lecuona, who continued Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s strong form by securing second position. The Spaniard was once again Bulega’s closest challenger and ensured the factory Ducati squad locked out the top two spots on the grid.

A breakthrough performance came from Alberto Surra, who secured the first front-row Superpole result of his WorldSBK career for the Motocorsa Racing outfit. The Italian set the third-fastest time of the session, although a back-of-the-grid penalty for Race One meant he was unable to capitalise on the result in Saturday’s main race. He will, however, line up from the front row for Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race.

Just behind the leading trio, the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team pairing of Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani qualified fifth and tenth respectively, while Michael van der Mark continued his substitute appearance for the injured Miguel Oliveira by securing seventh on the grid for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

Bulega continued his perfect start to the season at MotorLand Aragón by converting pole position into victory in Race One, leading home Iker Lecuona for a thirteenth consecutive one-two finish for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad.

The Ducati teammates controlled proceedings throughout the 18-lap contest, with the gap fluctuating across race distance before settling at 1.2 seconds at the chequered flag. While Lecuona remained within striking distance throughout, Bulega was able to manage the race from the front and maintain his unbeaten run in 2026.

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Nicolò Bulega. Credit: WorldSBK

Bulega said: “Today was another great race, so I’m really happy. We tried a few different details on the bike today, and we made a step forward during qualifying. My plan during the opening laps was to build a gap, and then I wanted to save the rear tyre a little more for the final laps. When I saw the gap increasing, I thought it was the right moment to stay calm and manage the tyre. I felt very good throughout the race, and I was able to ride smoothly with my natural riding style, and I was really happy with the bike and with how everything was working.”

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Iker Lecuona. Credit: WorldSBK

Lecuona secured another runner-up finish after a challenging opening phase of the race. The Spaniard lost ground during the early laps but was able to close the gap as the tyres began to wear, ultimately reinforcing Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s dominance at the head of the field.

“At the beginning, Nicolò was very fast, as we expected, but I almost crashed a few times on the new tyre. When the tyres started to wear, I felt a bit better, and I was able to recover almost one second to Nicolò. I was overriding the bike and using all my energy. It was difficult because the track was very tricky in those hot conditions, but I’m quite satisfied. To have another second place is a good result, and we are quite close to Nicolò. We still need a little bit more in the race, but I’m really happy with the performance.”

ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes. Credits: WorldSBK

Completing the podium was Sam Lowes, who recovered from a difficult start to claim third place for the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team. Having lost ground off the line, Lowes quickly fought his way back past brother Alex before settling into a comfortable rhythm behind the leading Ducati duo.

“I knew coming here that I could be strong. We had a good test in Misano, and I’m happy with my lap in qualifying, but I made a small mistake in the last sector because otherwise I think it could have been a little bit better. The first seven or eight laps of the race were good, and I had a strong pace, but the two guys in front were just a little bit stronger. In those conditions, I was really at the limit with the front. I’m happy that I managed the race well, and that gives me some confidence going into tomorrow. I think we can make a small step with the bike and improve for tomorrow.”

Superpole Results