Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) repeated his 2025 success at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit by claiming a hat-trick to start the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in stunning fashion. The #11 mastered the rain in Race 2 for the Australian Round to make it three from three at the season-opener, finishing ahead of Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team).

WET RACE DRAMA: Chaos from lights out

Bulega got a great start in the wet conditions as he held the lead from pole position, pulling out a gap of over a second ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), who charged into the provisional podium places from the second row. Bassani was also looking to make moves, while teammate Alex Lowes struggled in the early laps, dropping to fifth. Although he stabilised his pace, the #22 crashed out on Lap 19 at Turn 1. On Lap 4, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) passed Bassani to move into the podium places.

TAKING HOME THE PODIUM: Bautista on the rostrum for the first time as an Independent rider

Sam Lowes was running in the podium places but crashed out on Lap 6 at Turn 3, with the #14 walking away from the spill but he was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following that crash. There, he was diagnosed with a left wrist fracture and contusions to his right hand and left ankle. That crash promoted Bassani back into the podium places, although he was some six seconds behind Montella in second. That settled down the podium places, until Montella fell at Turn 9 on Lap 16, as he lost the rear of his bike. That promoted Bassani into second and teammate Bautista into third place. Bulega’s 23^rd WorldSBK win moved him ahead of Marco Melandri in terms of Italian riders with the most wins, while he’s also gone level with Troy Corser and Jonathan Rea for Phillip Island wins, with eight. Bassani’s rostrum meant it was just the second time he’s had two podiums in a round, coming after Magny-Cours in 2022, while Bimota’s three podiums mean they are already only one behind their 2025 tally. Bautista became the second-oldest rider to take a WorldSBK podium at 41 years, 3 months and 1 day old; only Max Biaggi (44 years, 1 month, 7 days old) was older.

MACKENZIE’S BEST RESULT: P4 for the Brit

Bautista had to fend off Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Action Racing) for P4 before Sam Lowes’ crash, with the #95 settling for P4 from 13^th on the grid and his best WorldSBK result as he once again showed his wet weather prowess. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) took Yamaha’s best result of the weekend as he took P5, comfortably his best showing of the weekend.

OLIVEIRA’S LATEST COMEBACK: P21 to P7 for the #88

There was a big battle between Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), teammate Miguel Oliveira and Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) over P6. Petrucci came out on top ahead of Portuguese star Oliveira, who had to fight back from 21^st on the grid again after his late tech problem in the Tissot Superpole Race demoted him from the top nine. However, the #88 was able to climb through the field to secure P7, finishing 0.473s ahead of Lecuona in eighth.

BALDASSARRI PENALISED: ‘Balda’ fights back for P9

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) was unable to hit the high notes of Race 1. The #34 was penalised with a double Long Lap Penalty for a jump start, but ‘Balda’ was able to fight back to claim P9, less than a second away from Lecuona. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) rounded out the top ten, although he was some 15 seconds back from the Italian ahead of him.

SCORING POINTS: All finishers take home rewards from Race 2

Tetsuta Nagashima (Honda HRC) claimed P11 ahead of rookie Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing), with the Italian more than six seconds back from the Japanese rider. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) scored points with 13^th ahead of teammate Stefano Manzi in 14^th, while Bahattin Sofuoglu (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was the last classified rider; meaning all riders who finished the race scored points.

RETIREMENTS FROM RACE 2: Rato, Vickers and Vierge join the Lowes brothers

Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was the first victim of the conditions when he highsided on the exit of Turn 4, retiring from the race. Ryan Vickers (Honda HRC) brought his machine into the pits to retire in the first half of the race, while Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) crashed out at Turn 2 on Lap 13.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +11.336s

3. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +17.790s

4. Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing) +28.356s

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +30.966s

6. Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +31.901s

Fastest Lap – Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.406s

Championship standings

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 62 points

2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 42

3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 26

4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) 25

5. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) 19

6. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 19

Next up for WorldSBK, Portimao! Watch all the action from the rollercoaster using the WorldSBK VideoPass!