Nicolo Bulega won Race 2 at Phillip Island to complete a clean sweep of the opening WorldSBK round. The Ducati rider mastered wet conditions to take his third victory of the weekend. Axel Bassani finished second and Alvaro Bautista secured third, giving Barni Ducati its first podium of the season.
Nicolo Bulega won Race 2 at Phillip Island to complete a clean sweep of the opening WorldSBK weekend. The Ducati rider secured victories in all three races of the round. Alvaro Bautista also reached the podium, giving the Barni Ducati team its first top-three finish of the season at the Australian circuit.
Nicolo Bulega secured pole position for the WorldSBK round at Phillip Island after leading every session before Superpole. The Italian was over 0.4 seconds faster than Yari Montella, who achieved his first front-row start in the category. Bulega’s strong pace puts him in a leading position ahead of Race 1 at the Australian circuit.
Nicolo Bulega won the opening WorldSBK Race 1 at Phillip Island, starting the 2026 season strongly for Ducati. Yari Montella finished second, with Lorenzo Baldassarri third to complete an all-Ducati podium. The race featured close battles behind the leader as riders managed tyres and pace at the fast Australian circuit.
Nicolo Bulega topped the third WorldSBK practice session at Phillip Island, continuing his strong pace ahead of the race weekend. Sam Lowes finished second while Axel Bassani stayed among the front runners. Teams used the session to refine setup and tyre choice before qualifying, with close lap times across the leading group.
Jake Dixon has successfully undergone surgery in Melbourne after suffering fractures to his left wrist. The injury occurred during running at Phillip Island. Doctors carried out the operation soon after the incident and his recovery process has now started. Further updates on his return to racing will depend on rehabilitation progress in the coming weeks.
Nicolo Bulega set the quickest time in the opening WorldSBK practice session at Phillip Island. Sam Lowes finished second, while Axel Bassani placed third on the Bimota. Riders used the first session to evaluate tyres and setup ahead of the race weekend, with close lap times across the front group during early running.
WorldSBK teams completed their last official pre-season test at Phillip Island before the opening round. Riders carried out race distance runs, setup adjustments and tyre checks during the sessions. A few minor crashes occurred but running continued, allowing teams to gather data before competitive racing begins in Australia.
Nicolo Bulega finished fastest in the final WorldSBK pre-season test at Phillip Island. The Ducati rider led the combined times after two days of running. Teams focused on race simulations, tyre evaluation and setup work as preparation for the opening round in Australia. The test marked the final track session before the championship start. Source: WorldSBK.com