Motorsport Magazine
Superbike ·
Bulega continues to impress: he wins Race 1 at Most and confirms his lead in the 2026 Superbike World Championship.
Ultimogiro Newsroom · 16 May 2026 · 4 min read
Nicolò Bulega continues to redraw the balance of the 2026 Superbike World Championship. At the Most circuit, the Ducati rider stamped his name on another perfect Saturday, first taking Superpole and then Race 1, which he managed with authority, speed and the maturity of a category veteran.
The Czech weekend once again confirmed the technical and mental superiority of the championship leader, who is increasingly the benchmark of the season. Bulega set the pace from the opening sessions, turning the potential of the Panigale V4R into concrete dominance both on the single lap and over race distance.
The feeling, watching the pace shown at Most, is that at the moment the pairing of the rider from Emilia and Ducati represents the most complete package on the entire grid.
Superpole had already given clear indications about the course of the weekend. Bulega managed to stop the clock with a time that allowed him to take pole position without any particular risk, making the most of the track grip and Ducati’s precision in direction changes.
Behind him finished Lorenzo Baldassarri and Yari Montella, completing an all-Ducati front row that perfectly illustrates the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s current form in the championship.
At the end of qualifying, Bulega spoke of an extremely balanced bike and of an immediate feeling found from free practice onwards. The championship leader underlined how the work done with the team is allowing him to approach every circuit with a now consolidated technical base.
Among the few able to get close to Ducati’s times was Iker Lecuona. The Spaniard showed a good pace especially in the final sector of the track, managing to limit the gap and confirming the progress seen in recent outings.
The Iberian rider admitted that the gap to Bulega had narrowed, but also recognised that the number one of the weekend still manages to make the difference in the overall management of the flying lap and in the decisive phases of the race.
In Race 1 Bulega turned pole into a victory built with absolute composure. His launch off the line allowed him to keep the lead immediately, avoiding contact and imposing a pace that was hard for the rest of the field to sustain from the outset.
Lecuona tried to stay in the slipstream of the factory Ducati in the early stages of the race, but as the laps went by the championship leader progressively increased the margin, controlling the situation without ever going beyond the limit.
The feeling from the Ducati pit wall was that of a race managed rather than forced, a detail that further highlights the level Bulega has reached this season.
Behind the first two came Yari Montella, author of a solid race with no mistakes. The Italian rider was able to make the most of the great potential of the Panigale to fend off attacks in the chasing group and bring home an important podium, also in terms of confidence.
The top five was completed by Lorenzo Baldassarri and Garrett Gerloff, while Sam Lowes showed encouraging signs especially in the second half of the race.
Nicolò Bulega’s real strength, beyond pure speed, continues to be consistency of performance. At Most the Ducati rider once again showed that he knows how to handle every situation with composure, avoiding mistakes and capitalising on every available opportunity.
In his post-race comments the championship leader explained that he feels in total harmony with the bike, stressing how the work carried out over the winter made it possible to reach a technical stability that is fundamental for approaching every weekend with great confidence.
Bulega also highlighted how the team is now able to intervene quickly on the set-up, allowing him to focus exclusively on riding and on race management.
The Most weekend also confirms Ducati’s dominance in the 2026 Superbike World Championship. The Panigale V4R continues to be the most competitive bike in the field, especially in acceleration sections and on corner exit, aspects that made the difference at the Czech circuit.
The combination of power, electronics and stability is allowing the Italian manufacturer to maintain a significant advantage over its rivals, but above all it is the quality of the riders that makes the project almost perfect at this stage of the season.
With the Race 1 win, Nicolò Bulega further strengthens his lead in the World Championship standings and heads into the next races as the great favourite to win the 2026 Superbike world title.
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