1 week ago
24
ARTICLE AD BOX
Round Six – Aragon – Saturday
Three classes, three stories as Bulega, Zaccone and Salvador win at Aragon
Saturday at MotorLand Aragon delivered three very different but equally telling races across the WorldSBK paddock. In WorldSBK, Nicolo Bulega continued his extraordinary unbeaten run with another pole-to-flag masterclass, while Aruba.it Racing Ducati team-mate Iker Lecuona again provided the closest opposition.
In WorldSSP, Alessandro Zaccone denied Albert Arenas on the final lap to claim a breakthrough victory for Ducati, and in the new WorldSPB category, David Salvador turned pole into a maiden win on home soil after a red-flagged sprint race that produced a six-rider finish covered by barely a quarter of a second.
The heat again played a major role. WorldSSP Race 1 was run on a 46-degree track, WorldSBK Race 1 on a 48-degree track, and the restarted WorldSPB encounter on a 51-degree track. Those conditions put a premium on tyre management, particularly front-end feel, while also rewarding machines that could make the most of Aragon’s long back straight without destroying their tyres before the final sector.
WorldSBK Race One
Nicolo Bulega maintained his perfect 2026 WorldSBK record at Aragon on Saturday, converting pole position into another controlled Race 1 victory as Ducati again dominated the sharp end.
The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider had already made his mark in Superpole, setting a 1m46.836 to claim pole and establish a new all-time lap record at MotorLand Aragon. Team-mate Iker Lecuona completed a factory Ducati one-two on the grid, while Alberto Surra produced a career-best third in Superpole for Motocorsa Ducati before a penalty sent him to the back of the Race 1 grid.
That elevated Sam Lowes onto the front row for ELF Marc VDS Ducati, with Alex Lowes fourth on the bimota KB998 Rimini and Lorenzo Baldassarri fifth on the Team GoEleven Panigale V4R.
Bulega made the launch he needed when the lights went out, although Lecuona was immediately close enough to ask a question into Turn 1. The Spaniard pressed through the opening turns, but Bulega held firm and began to build the race from the front.
The margin between the factory Ducatis ebbed and flowed across the 18 laps. Bulega’s fastest lap came on lap five, a 1m48.681, and by the middle of the race he had stretched enough of a buffer to manage his tyre and pace. Lecuona came back at him later as the tyres aged, but Bulega had the answer and crossed the line 1.274 seconds clear.
It was Bulega’s 16th victory from 16 races this season and his 20th consecutive WorldSBK win, extending a run that is rewriting the category’s statistical reference points. It was also his 36th career WorldSBK win, his 72nd podium, and his 29th consecutive podium. Ducati, meanwhile, stretched its current winning run to 20 races.
For Lecuona, second place continued a strange but impressive record of its own. It was a 13th consecutive Bulega-Lecuona one-two and a 13th consecutive runner-up finish for the Spaniard. Lecuona now has 15 WorldSBK podiums without a victory, the highest such tally in the championship’s history.
Sam Lowes completed the podium after briefly losing out to brother Alex Lowes at the start. Alex got the better launch, but Sam responded on lap two, passing into Turn 1 and then pulling clear. From there, the Marc VDS rider settled into a lonely third, unable to match the factory Ducatis but strong enough to finish more than eight seconds clear of Alex.
It was an important reset for Sam Lowes after two difficult rounds and a crash-heavy start to the Aragon weekend. His third place was his ninth WorldSBK podium and his fourth of the season.
Alex Lowes brought the Bimota home fourth, while Tommy Bridewell produced one of the rides of the race in fifth. Bridewell had qualified eighth, started seventh after Surra’s penalty, and launched himself into the top five in the opening stages. Lorenzo Baldassarri closed him down late, but Bridewell held firm by just 0.065 seconds to take the best WorldSBK result of his career.
That fifth place was a significant result for both Bridewell and the Superbike Advocates Ducati project. The team came together late, and Bridewell has now moved from a previous best of eighth at Most to a top-five WorldSBK finish at Aragon.
Yari Montella finished seventh for Barni Spark Ducati, ahead of Axel Bassani and Garrett Gerloff after a tight race-long fight. Bassani held eighth on the bimota by Kawasaki KB998 Rimini, while Gerloff was ninth as the sole Kawasaki ZX-10RR rider in the WorldSBK field. Tarran Mackenzie completed the top ten on another Ducati.
Michael van der Mark was 11th for BMW, with Stefano Manzi the first Yamaha home in 12th. Xavi Vierge and Alberto Surra crossed the line almost together in 13th and 14th after Somkiat Chantra was handed a two-place penalty for causing an adverse effect to another rider at Turn 12. Chantra was therefore classified 15th, one place ahead of Honda HRC team-mate Jake Dixon, who completed his first WorldSBK race on the CBR1000RR-R SP.
Remy Gardner finished 17th for GYTR GRT Yamaha after running off at Turn 12 late in the race, while Bahattin Sofuoglu and Mattia Rato completed the finishers.
There were three retirements. Hannes Soomer crashed at Turn 14 on the opening lap, Alvaro Bautista returned to pit lane and retired after three laps, and Andrea Locatelli crashed at Turn 14 on lap six.
Bulega now leads the championship on 335 points, 100 clear of Lecuona. Yari Montella remains third on 130, with Sam Lowes back to fourth on 119, ahead of Baldassarri on 117 and Alex Lowes on 114.
WorldSBK Race One Results
|
1 |
N Bulega |
Duc |
32m46.379 |
319.5 |
|
2 |
I Lecuona |
Duc |
+1.274 |
315.8 |
|
3 |
S Lowes |
Duc |
+8.078 |
315.8 |
|
4 |
A Lowes |
Bim |
+16.177 |
312.1 |
|
5 |
T Bridewell |
Duc |
+18.619 |
314.0 |
|
6 |
L Baldassarri |
Duc |
+18.684 |
313.0 |
|
7 |
Y Montella |
Duc |
+21.548 |
314.9 |
|
8 |
A Bassani |
Bim |
+21.873 |
316.7 |
|
9 |
G Gerloff |
Kaw |
+22.187 |
322.4 |
|
10 |
T Mackenzie |
Duc |
+30.792 |
316.7 |
|
11 |
M van der Mark |
BMW |
+34.069 |
317.6 |
|
12 |
S Manzi |
Yam |
+35.601 |
314.0 |
|
13 |
X Vierge |
Yam |
+38.080 |
316.7 |
|
14 |
A Surra |
Duc |
+38.105 |
319.5 |
|
15 |
S Chantra |
Hon |
+39.000 |
315.8 |
|
16 |
J Dixon |
Hon |
+40.618 |
315.8 |
|
17 |
R Gardner |
Yam |
+43.702 |
314.9 |
|
18 |
B Sofuoglu |
Yam |
+59.522 |
310.3 |
|
19 |
M Rato |
Yam |
+59.693 |
306.8 |
|
RET |
A Locatelli |
Yam |
DNF |
316.7 |
|
RET |
A Bautista |
Duc |
DNF |
322.4 |
|
RET |
H Soomer |
BMW |
DNF0 |
308.6 |
WorldSBK Superpole Times
|
1 |
N Bulega |
Duc |
1m46.836 |
319.5 |
|
|
2 |
I Lecuona |
Duc |
1m47.312 |
+0.476 |
315.8 |
|
3 |
A Surra |
Duc |
1m47.349 |
+0.513 |
316.7 |
|
4 |
S Lowes |
Duc |
1m47.405 |
+0.569 |
313.0 |
|
5 |
A Lowes |
Bim |
1m47.775 |
+0.939 |
312.1 |
|
6 |
L Baldassarri |
Duc |
1m47.829 |
+0.993 |
312.1 |
|
7 |
M van der Mark |
BMW |
1m47.834 |
+0.998 |
316.7 |
|
8 |
T Bridewell |
Duc |
1m47.942 |
+1.106 |
316.7 |
|
9 |
Y Montella |
Duc |
1m47.984 |
+1.148 |
313.0 |
|
10 |
A Bassani |
Bim |
1m48.112 |
+1.276 |
312.1 |
|
11 |
A Locatelli |
Yam |
1m48.205 |
+1.369 |
314.9 |
|
12 |
G Gerloff |
Kaw |
1m48.216 |
+1.380 |
311.2 |
|
13 |
X Vierge |
Yam |
1m48.262 |
+1.426 |
316.7 |
|
14 |
J Dixon |
Hon |
1m48.322 |
+1.486 |
314.0 |
|
15 |
R Gardner |
Yam |
1m48.334 |
+1.498 |
311.2 |
|
16 |
A Bautista |
Duc |
1m48.383 |
+1.547 |
314.0 |
|
17 |
T Mackenzie |
Duc |
1m48.391 |
+1.555 |
315.8 |
|
18 |
H Soomer |
BMW |
1m48.494 |
+1.658 |
308.6 |
|
19 |
S Chantra |
Hon |
1m48.979 |
+2.143 |
312.1 |
|
20 |
S Manzi |
Yam |
1m49.133 |
+2.297 |
317.6 |
|
21 |
B Sofuoglu |
Yam |
1m49.311 |
+2.475 |
310.3 |
|
22 |
M Rato |
Yam |
1m49.584 |
+2.748 |
313.0 |
WorldSSP Race One
WorldSSP Race 1 at Aragon was decided by the final lap, and it was Alessandro Zaccone who claimed his first victory in the category after denying championship leader Albert Arenas.
Arenas had started from pole on the AS BLU CRU Yamaha YZF-R9 and looked set to convert it. The Spaniard led 14 of the 15 laps and controlled the rhythm for most of the race, but Zaccone kept himself close enough to strike when the opportunity came.
The Ecosantagata Althea Ducati rider had started fifth and spent the early laps working through the front group. Valentin Debise, who started from the front row on the EASTROC ZXMOTO 820RR, was in the early fight, while Roberto Garcia looked like a genuine podium threat on the GMT94 Yamaha. Zaccone worked past Debise, then Garcia, and gradually turned the race into a direct fight with Arenas.
The decisive moves came on the final lap. Zaccone edged ahead across the line to begin the last tour, Arenas took the lead back at Turn 4, and then the Ducati rider used the Panigale V2’s strength down the back straight and through the final sector to reclaim the position. Zaccone held on to win by 0.174 seconds.
The win was Zaccone’s first in WorldSSP and came on a day when tyre management was as important as outright lap speed. Track temperature was listed at 46 degrees, and Zaccone later noted that front-tyre performance was already close to the limit after around ten laps.
Arenas missed the win but still banked a valuable second place. With Debise only eighth and Jaume Masia fifth, the championship leader extended his advantage to 31 points. Arenas now sits on 186 points, ahead of Debise on 155, Masia on 141 and Can Oncu on 132.
Tom Booth-Amos completed the podium for PTR Triumph and also set the fastest lap of the race, a 1m53.048 on lap five. That lap will put him on pole for Race 2, giving the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS a prime starting position for Sunday.
Garcia finished fourth after fading out of podium contention, while Masia brought the Orelac Ducati home fifth, just ahead of Aldi Mahendra on the second AS BLU CRU Yamaha. Matteo Ferrari was seventh on the WRP Ducati, ahead of Debise, Simon Jespersen and Philipp Oettl.
The machinery spread again gave WorldSSP much of its flavour. A Ducati Panigale V2 won the race, a Yamaha YZF-R9 led almost all of it, a Triumph took a podium and fastest lap, and the ZXMOTO 820RR remained part of the front-group story despite Debise’s eventual eighth place. Kawasaki, Honda, QJMOTOR and MV Agusta were also represented further down the field.
Can Oncu’s day was compromised by a back-of-grid penalty for a yellow-flag infringement in Warm Up. The Pata Yamaha Ten Kate rider recovered to 12th, finishing just behind Jeremy Alcoba, who had also come through from deeper on the grid.
Oli Bayliss’ race ended early. The Australian started 15th after his Superpole penalty, then crashed at Turn 12 on lap five. He rejoined and returned to the pits before being recorded as a retirement. His pace before the incident was notable, however, with a 1m53.387 that still ranked among the best laps of the race.
There were several other incidents across the 15 laps. Lorenzo Taccini was handed a double long-lap penalty for a jump start, while Kaan Erbay, Raffaele De Rosa and Manuel Ramirez also retired after crashes.
Zaccone’s victory gives him a major boost in the championship order, lifting him to sixth on 93 points, while Arenas leaves Saturday with a stronger lead despite losing the race on the final lap.
WorldSSP Race One Results
|
1 |
A Zaccone |
Duc |
28m25.373 |
282.0 |
|
2 |
A Arenas |
Yam |
+0.174 |
273.4 |
|
3 |
T Booth-Amos |
Tri |
+0.969 |
279.1 |
|
4 |
R Garcia |
Yam |
+2.570 |
274.8 |
|
5 |
J Masia |
Duc |
+4.733 |
279.1 |
|
6 |
A Mahendra |
Yam |
+4.786 |
273.4 |
|
7 |
M Ferrari |
Duc |
+6.478 |
278.4 |
|
8 |
V Debise |
ZXM |
+6.884 |
274.1 |
|
9 |
S Jespersen |
Duc |
+12.398 |
277.6 |
|
10 |
P Oettl |
Duc |
+12.420 |
276.9 |
|
11 |
J Alcoba |
Kaw |
+16.693 |
278.4 |
|
12 |
C Oncu |
Yam |
+16.750 |
277.6 |
|
13 |
F Farioli |
Yam |
+16.832 |
276.2 |
|
14 |
L Mahias |
Yam |
+17.016 |
274.1 |
|
15 |
M Casadei |
Duc |
+17.446 |
277.6 |
|
16 |
J Whatley |
Duc |
+17.530 |
277.6 |
|
17 |
D Aegerter |
Kaw |
+18.398 |
279.1 |
|
18 |
C Perolari |
Hon |
+19.052 |
278.4 |
|
19 |
O Vostatek |
Tri |
+19.114 |
277.6 |
|
20 |
L Taccini |
Duc |
+25.135 |
281.3 |
|
21 |
J Cretaro |
MVA |
+25.491 |
274.1 |
|
22 |
B Jimenez |
Duc |
+31.569 |
276.2 |
|
23 |
O Konig |
Tri |
+31.889 |
275.5 |
|
24 |
Y Okamoto |
Yam |
+32.691 |
276.9 |
|
25 |
X Cardelus |
Yam |
+32.714 |
270.0 |
|
26 |
A Giombini |
MVA |
+38.372 |
274.1 |
|
27 |
A Carrasco |
Hon |
+47.031 |
274.1 |
|
28 |
A Kofler |
Yam |
+50.796 |
274.8 |
|
29 |
F Caricasulo |
ZXM |
+1 Lap |
272.7 |
|
30 |
R Rossi |
Duc |
+2 Laps |
272.0 |
|
RET |
M Ramirez |
QJM |
DNF |
279.8 |
|
RET |
R De Rosa |
QJM |
DNF |
275.5 |
|
RET |
K Erbay |
Duc |
DNF |
269.3 |
|
RET |
O Bayliss |
Tri |
DNF |
279.1 |
WorldSPB Race One
The new WorldSPB category produced the closest finish of Saturday at Aragon, with David Salvador taking a maiden victory on home soil after a red-flagged race was reduced to a five-lap sprint.
Salvador had started from pole on the Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI ZX-6R 636 and initially led the original race, but the first start was interrupted. Bruno Ieraci crashed at Turn 5 while running second and was later declared unfit with a left-shoulder dislocation, before Taiyo Aksu fell at Turn 4, bringing out the red flag.
The restart was cut to five laps and quickly became a slipstream brawl. Salvador again led away, but Matteo Vannucci on the Revo-M2 Aprilia RS 660 Factory responded and moved to the front on lap two. The Italian held the lead through laps two, three and four, setting up a final-lap fight among a compact lead pack.
That last lap changed everything. Xavi Artigas attacked at Turn 1, forcing Vannucci wide and dropping the Aprilia rider into the pack. Salvador then retook control through the fast final sector, while Fenton Seabright tried to carry momentum around the outside on the PHR Performance Triumph Daytona 660.
At the flag, Salvador had done enough. He beat Artigas by just 0.046 seconds, with Seabright only 0.061 seconds from victory in third. Antonio Torres was fourth, only 0.087 seconds from the win, Vannucci was fifth at 0.116, and Australian Carter Thompson was sixth at 0.254. Six riders were covered by just over a quarter of a second.
For Salvador, it was a first WorldSPB race victory and a home win after claiming pole on Friday. It also strengthened his championship lead, moving him to 126 points, 22 clear of team-mate Torres.
Artigas’ second place continued a strong day for Kawasaki machinery, while Seabright’s third was his first WorldSPB podium and a significant result for the Triumph Daytona 660. Vannucci was left frustrated after leading so much of the restarted race, but fifth still brought important points for his title campaign.
Thompson’s sixth place did not fully reflect his speed. The Team BrCorse Yamaha YZF-R7 rider set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap, a 1m59.657 that was also a new race-lap record. That lap gives the Australian pole position for Race 2, where he will be joined on the front row by Vannucci and Elia Bartolini.
The WorldSPB machinery story remains one of the most interesting parts of the weekend. Kawasaki won, Aprilia led, Triumph podiumed, Yamaha took fastest lap and Race 2 pole, and Suzuki remained in the points with Jeffrey Buis tenth on the GSX-8R. The field continues to showcase the technical variety of the new category, with Kawasaki ZX-6R 636s, Aprilia RS 660 Factory machines, Triumph Daytona 660s, Yamaha YZF-R7s, Suzuki GSX-8Rs and Kove 450RRs all part of the grid.
Loris Veneman finished seventh, ahead of Harrison Dessoy, Alessandro Di Persio and Buis. Further back, Elia Bartolini recovered to 12th, while Humberto Maier was classified 14th after a one-position penalty for irresponsible riding on the back straight.
Salvador leaves Saturday with the win he had been threatening all season, but Thompson’s race-lap record and Race 2 pole give the Australian a clear Sunday opportunity in a class that, so far, has rarely looked predictable.
WorldSPB Race One Results
TBC
2026 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship calendar
 |
|||||
| Date |
Country |
Circuit |
WorldSBK |
WorldSSP |
WorldSPB |
|
20-22 Feb |
AUS |
Phillip Island GP |
X |
X |
|
|
27-29 Mar |
POR |
Portimao |
X |
X |
X |
|
17-19 Apr |
NED |
TT Assen |
X |
X |
X |
|
1-3 May |
HUN |
Balaton Park |
X |
X |
|
|
15-17 May |
CZE |
Most |
X |
X |
X |
|
29-31 May |
ESP |
MotorLand Aragon |
X |
X |
X |
|
12-14 Jun |
ITA |
Misano – Marco Simoncelli |
X |
X |
X |
|
10-12 Jul |
UK |
Donington Park |
X |
X |
|
|
4-6 Sep |
FRA |
Nevers Magny-Cours |
X |
X |
X |
|
25-27 Sep |
ITA |
Cremona |
X |
X |
X |
|
9-11 Oct |
POR |
Estoril |
X |
X |
|
|
16-18 Oct |
ESP |
Jerez – Angel Nieto* |
X |
X |
X |
2026 World Superbike Championship Entry List
|
||
|
Rider |
Bike |
Team |
|
I.Lecuona |
Duc |
Aruba.It Ducati |
|
N.Bulega |
Duc |
Aruba.It Ducati |
|
D.Petrucci |
BMW |
ROKiT BMW Motorrad |
|
M.Oliveira |
BMW |
ROKiT BMW Motorrad |
|
A.Locatelli |
Yam |
Pata Maxus Yamaha |
|
X.Vierge |
Yam |
Pata Maxus Yamaha |
|
Y.Montella |
Duc |
Barni Spark |
|
A.Bautista |
Duc |
Barni Spark |
|
A.Lowes |
Bim |
bimota by Kawasaki |
|
A.Bassani |
Bim |
bimota by Kawasaki |
|
S.Chantra |
Hon |
Honda HRC |
|
J.Dixon |
Hon |
Honda HRC |
|
S.Manzi |
Yam |
GYTR GRT Yamaha |
|
R.Gardner |
Yam |
GYTR GRT Yamaha |
|
S.Lowes |
Duc |
ELF Marc VDS |
|
L.Baldassarri |
Duc |
Goeleven |
|
T.Mackenzie |
Duc |
MGM Racing |
|
G.Gerloff |
Kaw |
Kawasaki WorldSBK |
|
A.Surra |
Duc |
Motocorsa |
|
M.Rato |
Yam |
Motoxracing |
|
B.Sofuoglu |
Yam |
Motoxracing |
|
A.Iannone |
Duc |
Cainam Racing |
English (US) ·