Nicolo Bulega completed a perfect Portimao weekend by winning Race 2, taking all three victories across the round. The identical top five from Race 1 repeated itself with Lecuona second and Oliveira third, Lowes fourth and Sam Lowes fifth. Six wins from six races across the opening two rounds of 2026. Bulega is not just winning. He is lapping the competition in points.
Nicolo Bulega claimed his fourth win of the 2026 season at Portimao, his first ever WorldSBK victory at this circuit, with factory Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona completing a Ducati one-two. Miguel Oliveira took a stunning third place for his first ever WorldSBK podium in front of his home crowd. Alex Lowes fourth. Bautista ninth. Bulega remains unbeaten in 2026. Four rounds. Four wins. Unstoppable.
Yari Montella secured his second consecutive front row start of the 2026 season at Portimao, completing an all Ducati front row alongside Bulega and Lecuona. The Italian admitted he needs something more despite his strong showing, feeling he left time on the table in Superpole. He had zero front row starts in 2025. Two rounds into 2026 he already has two. The Barni Ducati is a genuine front runner this season.
Nicolo Bulega starts from pole position for Race 1 at Portimao today at 15:30 local time, his third consecutive Superpole after Australia and Jerez last year. The podium could be an all Ducati affair with Lecuona and Montella joining him on the front row, and Sam Lowes the only major wildcard despite being five weeks from a fractured wrist. Bulega has never won a WorldSBK race at Portimao. Today that changes.
Miguel Oliveira was black flagged in FP3 at Portimao after crashing at Turn 5 and failing to pit before starting a new lap. The regulation requiring riders to return to the pits after a crash is specific to WorldSBK and does not exist in MotoGP. Oliveira clearly forgot the rule applies. A painful lesson for the Portuguese rider at his home round.
Nicolo Bulega snatched pole from factory teammate Lecuona on his final Superpole lap, a stunning 1 minute 38.495 seconds that smashed the previous lap record by over half a second. Montella completed an all Ducati front row in third, with Oliveira fourth and Lowes fifth. Bulega has never won a WorldSBK race at Portimao. He starts today from pole position.
Ducati locked out the top five in FP2 at Portimao, with Sam Lowes the first non Ducati rider in sixth on the Bimota. The pressure inside the Ducati camp is building. Lecuona and Bautista both face scrutiny after being outshone by satellite riders in Australia. One manufacturer. Five bikes in the top five. WorldSBK has a Ducati dominance problem. Or a Ducati dominance spectacle. Depends entirely on your allegiances.
2023 British Superbike champion Tommy Bridewell makes his WorldSBK debut at Portimao this weekend with the Superbike Advocates team, having tested at the circuit on March nine and ten as one of the few riders to complete laps on the second wet day. He crashed at Turn five in FP2 but completed the session. British Superbike’s 2023 champion is now on the world stage.
Jonathan Rea makes his return to WorldSBK this weekend at Portimao, stepping in for injured factory Honda rider Jake Dixon who continues to recover from wrist injuries sustained at the Phillip Island test. The six time world champion himself sparked the comeback when he said he thought why not, describing it as a good opportunity to get behind the lights again. The Goat is back on a Superbike.
Sam Lowes topped both FP1 and FP2 at Portimao on Friday, becoming the only rider to lap in the 1 minute 39 seconds bracket in the afternoon session. Nicolo Bulega finished second in both sessions but admitted he was riding at only 90 percent, unable to find a comfortable setup. The championship leader is not at his limit yet. Lowes is already there.