Ducati top seven as Lecuona leads dominant Balaton Friday

Round Four – Balaton Park – Friday

Lecuona leads Ducati top seven at Balaton Park

The fourth round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship got underway in clear, warm conditions at Balaton Park on Friday, with Iker Lecuona setting the pace across both WorldSBK free practice sessions as Ducati made a dominant start to the Hungarian weekend.

Track temperature was up around 38 degrees for the second WorldSBK session at the 4.075-kilometre Balaton Park layout, where Lecuona lowered the benchmark to 1m38.860s in FP2. That final-lap effort was enough to take top spot away from Aruba.it Racing Ducati team-mate Nicolo Bulega by 0.103s, with Sam Lowes third for ELF Marc VDS, only 0.141s from the top.

Lecuona manages illness to top both WorldSBK sessions

Lecuona’s Friday was made more notable by the fact that he was still recovering from a stomach bug that had left him short of energy. The Spaniard managed himself through FP2 before pushing late, and the feeling with the Panigale V4 R was clearly there from the opening laps.

Iker Lecuona

“I’m very happy with how things went, especially as I didn’t arrive here on Friday in the best of shape due to a minor stomach bug that really knocked me about yesterday. The feeling with my Ducati Panigale V4 R, however, has been excellent since this morning. In the afternoon, I tried to manage my energy so I could push harder in the final laps. I’m very confident about tomorrow.”

Lecuona managed his energy through FP2 before pushing late to head the Friday WorldSBK order.

Bulega, who arrived in Hungary on a long winning run, was second on the day and admitted that Balaton is not one of the circuits that naturally suits his riding style. Even so, he felt much more comfortable than he had here last season and was already confident with the base set-up, even if he still wants improvement through the chicanes before race day.

Nicolo Bulega was only a tenth from team-mate Iker Lecuona as Aruba.it Racing Ducati locked out the top two on Friday.

Sam Lowes completed the top three, continuing the strong start for Ducati. The Marc VDS rider worked through a longer run and felt there was more to come, particularly in sector two and through the tighter changes of direction.

Sam Lowes completed the Friday top three for ELF Marc VDS as Ducati swept the first seven positions.

Baldassarri and Barni add depth to Ducati’s strong start

Behind the top three, Ducati’s depth was clear. Lorenzo Baldassarri was fourth for Team GoEleven after what looked to be his strongest Friday of the season. The Italian completed a 15-lap race run in FP2, repeatedly lapping in the 1m39.3s range, then improved again late in the session on an SCX tyre that had already done 20 laps. With the race tyre choice effectively confirmed, Team GoEleven’s focus now turns to qualifying on a circuit where track position is likely to matter.

Lorenzo Baldassarri

“We needed a Friday like this! I’m very satisfied with the work done on track and with the team. We were competitive from the first laps, and I feel the bike is in my control. I know where I can still improve, but the base is excellent for tackling Saturday. Today I didn’t want to try the qualifying tyre; we focused on race pace, and it seems good, so I’m confident for the race.”

Lorenzo Baldassarri backed up Team GoEleven’s strongest Friday of the season with fourth on combined WorldSBK times.

Alberto Surra was fifth for Motocorsa Racing, ahead of the Barni Spark Ducati pairing of Yari Montella and Alvaro Bautista. Montella’s sixth place came after a more encouraging FP2 long run, although a late technical issue prevented him from fully exploiting a fresh tyre. Bautista was seventh after a more complicated day, with grip and tyre feel issues making FP1 difficult before the Spaniard used FP2 almost as a reset session to gather data.

Alvaro Bautista worked through grip and tyre-feel issues to finish Friday seventh, helping Ducati fill the top seven places.

Ducati fill the top seven at Balaton Park

That made it seven Panigale V4 Rs across the top seven places, while Tarran Mackenzie and Tommy Bridewell also put Ducatis inside the top 12.

Lowes and Bassani put bimota inside the top ten

Alex Lowes was the best of the rest in eighth on the bimota KB998 Rimini, seven-tenths from Lecuona. Lowes completed a long run in FP2 and even spent part of the session circulating with brother Sam, but said the stop-start Balaton layout, with its hard braking zones and direction changes, still leaves areas to tidy up. Axel Bassani completed the top ten on the second bimota and summed up the scale of the task facing the rest by noting that the top seven machines were all Ducatis.

Axel Bassani completed the Friday top ten as both bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team riders made a solid start in Hungary.

Yamaha, BMW, Kawasaki and Honda left chasing time

Miguel Oliveira split the bimotas in ninth for BMW, while team-mate Danilo Petrucci was only 15th after a crash at Turn 3 late in FP2. Petrucci is due to undergo a medical check on his left wrist before FP3.

Miguel Oliveira split the bimotas in ninth for BMW after the opening day of WorldSBK action at Balaton Park.

Andrea Locatelli was the leading Yamaha rider in 13th, but there was more to his Friday than that position suggested. The Pata Maxus Yamaha rider matched his best time on the final lap of a 20-lap FP2 run on used tyres, giving the team some encouragement around race pace even if single-lap speed remains the next target.

Andrea Locatelli was the leading Yamaha rider on Friday, 13th on the timesheets but encouraged by his used-tyre pace.

Garrett Gerloff had started the day strongly with sixth in FP1 on the factory Kawasaki, a welcome reset after a difficult Assen weekend, but slipped to 14th on combined times as others found more in FP2.

Remy Gardner was 18th for GYTR GRT Yamaha after a day focused more on race set-up than outright speed, one place behind team-mate Stefano Manzi.

Remy Gardner

“It wasn’t the best Friday and we’re not where we want to be, but the work we’ve done gives us useful information for the rest of the weekend. We’re struggling in some sections of the track, so we need to improve there. I’m confident that together with the team we can find solutions and make progress for tomorrow.”

Remy Gardner finished 18th after a Friday focused more on race set-up than a single-lap time attack.

Honda HRC had a difficult opening day, with Somkiat Chantra 20th and Yuki Kunii 22nd. Chantra was learning the Balaton layout for the first time, while Kunii is making his WorldSBK debut this weekend as substitute for the injured Jake Dixon.

Track limits were also a recurring theme through FP2, with repeated lap cancellations at Turns 9, 12, 13 and 15.

WorldSBK Combined FP1/FP2 Results

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

1	I. Lecuona	Duc	1m38.860
2	N. Bulega	Duc	+0.103
3	S. Lowes	Duc	+0.141
4	L. Baldassarri	Duc	+0.437
5	A. Surra	Duc	+0.522
6	Y. Montella	Duc	+0.621
7	A. Bautista	Duc	+0.665
8	A. Lowes	Bim	+0.724
9	M. Oliveira	BMW	+0.824
10	A. Bassani	Bim	+0.939
11	T. Mackenzie	Duc	+0.955
12	T. Bridewell	Duc	+1.075
13	A. Locatelli	Yam	+1.114
14	G. Gerloff	Kaw	+1.131
15	D. Petrucci	BMW	+1.304
16	X. Vierge	Yam	+1.394
17	S. Manzi	Yam	+1.405
18	R. Gardner	Yam	+1.560
19	B. Sofuoglu	Yam	+1.941
20	S. Chantra	Hon	+2.054
21	M. Rato	Yam	+2.228
22	Y. Kunii	Hon	+3.261

WorldSSP

Arenas takes maiden WorldSSP pole

Albert Arenas delivered his maiden WorldSSP pole position in the afternoon Superpole session, the AS BLU CRU Yamaha rider setting a 1m42.050s to lead a Yamaha R9 one-two ahead of Can Oncu.

Arenas, the 2020 Moto3 World Champion, has been a consistent threat through the opening part of the season, taking at least one podium at every event so far, although a first WorldSSP victory has still eluded him. He had been only ninth after Free Practice at Balaton Park, but found the step when it mattered in Superpole and produced the pole lap in the closing stages.

Albert Arenas

“It’s been a really good day and I’m really happy with the work we did. The team gave me a very fast bike and I felt good on track. It feels strange, but really nice, to take my first pole position. We focused a lot on race work this morning and our strategy was clear, to save tyres and not focus too much on the laptime in practice. We pushed during the Superpole session and it worked well. There is always more pressure when you have the opportunity for pole position but now we are focused on the races.”

Albert Arenas claimed his maiden WorldSSP pole position as Yamaha locked out the top two in Superpole at Balaton Park.

Oncu was 0.205s behind on the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing R9, while Matteo Ferrari was third on the timesheet for WRP Racing, 0.304s from pole. Ferrari later received a three-place grid penalty, promoting Simon Jespersen onto the front row after the EAB Racing Ducati rider missed Ferrari’s time by only five-thousandths of a second.

Filippo Farioli qualified fifth on time for VFT Racing Yamaha, ahead of Valentin Debise on the ZXMOTO 820RR, with Roberto Garcia, Jeremy Alcoba, Federico Caricasulo and Philipp Oettl completing the top ten.

Oli Bayliss was the best of the Australians in 13th on the PTR Triumph, 0.985s from pole. Bayliss had an early Turn 16 crash, but his 1m43.035s remained good enough for a fifth-row starting position.

Championship leader Jaume Masia had an even more difficult session. The Orelac Racing Verdnatura rider crashed at Turn 8 on his second flying lap, and his team was unable to repair the Ducati in time for him to return. Masia was left 26th on the timesheet, 1.740s from Arenas.

Track limits again played a major role, with repeated cancellations throughout the field.

WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

Max

1	A. Arenas	Yam	1’42.050	242.2Km/h
2	C. Oncu	Yam	+0.205	241.1Km/h
3	M. Ferrari	Duc	+0.304	248.3Km/h
4	S. Jespersen	Duc	+0.309	240.0Km/h
5	F. Farioli	Yam	+0.507	240.0Km/h
6	V. Debise	ZXM	+0.518	242.7Km/h
7	R. Garcia	Yam	+0.551	245.5Km/h
8	J. Alcoba	Kaw	+0.573	247.7Km/h
9	F. Caricasulo	ZXM	+0.663	242.7Km/h
10	P. Oettl	Duc	+0.704	245.5Km/h
11	A. Zaccone	Duc	+0.707	243.2Km/h
12	J. Whatley	Duc	+0.716	243.2Km/h
13	O. Bayliss	Tri	+0.985	243.8Km/h
14	A. Mahendra	Yam	+1.005	238.4Km/h
15	L. Mahias	Yam	+1.056	239.5Km/h
16	M. Casadei	Duc	+1.088	241.1Km/h
17	O. Vostatek	Tri	+1.107	243.8Km/h
18	C. Perolari	Hon	+1.237	241.1Km/h
19	D. Aegerter	Kaw	+1.287	244.9Km/h
20	R. De Rosa	QJM	+1.287	241.6Km/h
21	B. Jimenez	Duc	+1.502	246.6Km/h
22	L. Taccini	Duc	+1.528	246.0Km/h
23	M. Ramirez	QJM	+1.546	246.0Km/h
24	X. Cardelus	Yam	+1.691	240.0Km/h
25	T. Booth-Amos	Tri	+1.726	243.8Km/h
26	J. Masia	Duc	+1.740	241.6Km/h
27	O. Konig	Tri	+2.032	240.5Km/h
28	Y. Okamoto	Yam	+2.322	242.2Km/h
29	A. Giombini	MVA	+2.469	241.6Km/h
30	A. Kofler	Yam	+2.750	240.0Km/h
31	R. Rossi	Duc	+2.786	241.6Km/h
32	A. Carrasco	Hon	+3.299	240.0Km/h
33	J. Cretaro	MVA	+4.605	241.1Km/h

WorldWCR

Herrera fastest in WorldWCR, but penalty changes pole picture

Maria Herrera was fastest in WorldWCR Superpole at Balaton Park, but the reigning champion’s 1m52.264s will not put her on pole for Race 1 after a post-session three-place grid penalty for slow sectors.

The reigning champion had to work through some early discomfort with her shoulder, but a set-up change before Superpole helped her find a clean lap. Herrera’s time put her 0.562s clear of rookie Paola Ramos, who was back in action after missing Assen through injury and marked her 19th birthday by qualifying second despite a late crash.

Maria Herrera was fastest in WorldWCR Superpole, but a post-session penalty means she will not start Race 1 from pole.

Roberta Ponziani completed the top three for Klint Racing Team, while Muklada Sarapuech was fourth ahead of Beatriz Neila and Pakita Ruiz.

Herrera, Ramos and Sarapuech were all later handed three-place penalties for slow sectors, as was Astrid Madrigal, who had qualified eighth. That means Herrera was the fastest rider in Superpole, but not the rider starting Race 1 from pole.

Australia’s Tayla Relph was a strong seventh for Full Throttle Racing, 1.903s from Herrera, as she returned to form after injury at Assen. Chloe Jones was ninth on time, just ahead of Natalia Rivera.

The session was briefly red-flagged after an early crash for Emily Bondi at Turn 16. Bondi was examined at the circuit medical centre and passed fit to continue, while Sara Sanchez was ruled unfit for the weekend following surgery on her right thumb.

WorldWCR Tissot Superpole

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap	Speed
1	M. Herrera	Yam	1m52.264	194.2Km/h
2	P. Ramos	Yam	+0.562	189.8Km/h
3	R. Ponziani	Yam	+1.323	191.8Km/h
4	M. Sarapuech	Yam	+1.659	193.5Km/h
5	B. Neila	Yam	+1.705	194.9Km/h
6	P. Ruiz	Yam	+1.834	193.2Km/h
7	T. Relph	Yam	+1.903	188.5Km/h
8	A. Madrigal	Yam	+2.193	190.5Km/h
9	C. Jones	Yam	+2.384	197.1Km/h
10	N. Rivera	Yam	+2.430	189.1Km/h
11	L. Boudesseul	Yam	+2.441	192.9Km/h
12	K. Danak	Yam	+3.215	189.5Km/h
13	Y. Cerpa	Yam	+3.358	195.3Km/h
14	I. Carreno	Yam	+4.238	195.3Km/h
15	L. Michel	Yam	+4.349	197.8Km/h
16	A. Ourednickova	Yam	+4.583	192.5Km/h
17	M. Dobbs	Yam	+4.699	193.5Km/h
18	D. Dal Zotto	Yam	+4.936	194.2Km/h
19	L. Vieillard	Yam	+5.066	193.9Km/h
20	A. Barale	Yam	+5.716	191.8Km/h
21	M. Guarino	Yam	+6.309	188.2Km/h
22	K. Hand	Yam	+6.747	193.9Km/h
23	P. Sowa	Yam	+6.875	193.5Km/h
Not Qualified
NQ	E. Bondi	Yam	–	–

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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

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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

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