Bulega Fastest in Wet Jerez Test for 2026 WorldSBK

The 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season began with its first private test at the Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto in Spain, where riders and teams navigated challenging weather over two days from January 21 to 22. Nicolo Bulega of the Aruba.it Racing Ducati team posted the overall fastest lap of the test, a 1:39.331 on the second day, as afternoon conditions dried slightly after persistent rain limited activity earlier.

Day one unfolded under steady rainfall, restricting track time for most participants. Danilo Petrucci topped the timesheets for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team with a 1:52.976 lap, followed by Yari Montella of Barni Spark Racing Team at 1:54.194 and Miguel Oliveira, also with ROKiT BMW, at 1:54.260. Bulega opted not to ride amid the downpour, allowing teams to focus on baseline setups and data collection. Oliveira completed 31 laps in his ongoing adaptation to the BMW M 1000 RR, while Jake Dixon of Honda HRC gathered mileage on the CBR1000RRR, finishing ninth. Andrea Locatelli placed seventh for Pata Maxus Yamaha, and Alvaro Bautista, in new Barni Spark colors, ended eighth after initial evaluations. Development efforts for the Bimota by...