Bulega chases first Misano victory as Lecuona eyes maiden win. 

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round on 12-14 June. As the 2026 season reaches its halfway point, Championship leader Nicolo Bulega arrives at his home round in dominant form, but still searching for a first WorldSBK victory at Misano.

Recent Form and Momentum

• Heading into his home round as the Championship leader, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) holds 372 points. The Italian has won all 18 races contested so far this season and arrives at Misano on the longest winning streak in WorldSBK history.
   
• Teammate Iker Lecuona sits second in the standings on 264 points. The Spaniard has finished runner-up in each of the last 15 races and heads to Misano still chasing his maiden WorldSBK victory.
   
• Third place in the standings belongs to Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), who has amassed 142 points during the opening six rounds of the season. He holds a 10-point advantage over Alex Lowes(bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), following a strong weekend for the British rider at MotorLand Aragon.
   
• Italian Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) completes the current top five on 131 points, just one behind Alex Lowes.

Team & Rider News

• The participation of Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and teammate Danilo Petrucci remains uncertain as both riders continue their recovery from injuries sustained at previous rounds.
   
• Despite encouraging progress in his recovery and a recent return to competition at the Aragon Round, Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) will sit out the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round to maximise the next phase of his functional rehabilitation programme during the four-week break before Donington Park.
   
• The British rider will be replaced by Ryan Vickers, who returns to the WorldSBK grid after competing in the season-opening Australian Round.

Historical Performance

• Among the current WorldSBK grid, Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) is the most successful rider at Misano with six victories. The Spaniard is also the only rider currently competing in WorldSBK to have won at the circuit.
   
• In 2025, Bulega, Bautista and Petrucci all secured podium finishes during the Emilia-Romagna Round.

At Stake This Weekend

• Despite his dominant start to the 2026 campaign, Bulega is still chasing his first WorldSBK victory at Misano.
   
• The Championship leader also arrives in Italy on a streak of seven consecutive pole positions, dating back to Jerez last season. Another pole position at Misano would see him equal the all-time WorldSBK record of eight consecutive poles, set by Jonathan Rea between Aragon and Magny-Cours in 2021.
   
• His teammate Iker Lecuona arrives at Misano still searching for a maiden WorldSBK victory. Having finished second in each of the last 15 races, the Spaniard remains Bulega‘s closest challenger in the standings and will be looking to turn that consistency into a breakthrough result.
   
• Misano represents a key weekend for bimota, whose factory is located just a few kilometres from the circuit in Rimini. Competing on home soil, the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team will be chasing its first podium finish since the season-opening Australian Round.

Local Colours

• Misano is a home round for several Italian riders on the WorldSBK grid, all eager to perform in front of their home fans. Among them are Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team Goeleven), already a two-time podium finisher in 2026, and Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing), who secured his best result of the season at Aragon.
   
• Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will also have an additional milestone to celebrate, as both riders are set to make their 200th WorldSBK race start at Misano.
   
• Rookies Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Mattia Ratto (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) will likewise enjoy home support during the Emilia-Romagna Round, while Danilo Petrucci hopes to return to action in front of the Italian crowd.

Misano next: Masia leads the chase to Arenas

Recent Form and Momentum

• Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) continues to lead the WorldSSP standings with 206 points, having increased his championship advantage from 19 to 40 points following the Aragon Round.
   
• Fresh from his Race 2 victory at MotorLand Aragon, Jaume Masia(Orelac Racing Verdnatura) moved up to second place in the standings. The Spaniard overtook Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory), who scored 16 points during the weekend while his closest rivals secured podium finishes.
   
• Debise now sits third in the championship, while Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) trails the French rider by 26 points after a challenging Aragon Round and will be looking to bounce back at Misano.
   
• Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) completes the current top five on 121 points, 16 behind Oncu and 85 adrift of championship leader Arenas.

Historical Performance

• Can Oncu claimed a race victory at Misano in 2025 and returns to the Italian venue looking to reignite his title challenge.
   
• Dominique Aegerter (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) and Federico Caricasulo (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory) are also previous WorldSSP race winners at Misano, with Aegerter holding the record for the most victories at the circuit among the current grid.
   
• In 2025, both Jaume Masia and Valentin Debise secured podium finishes at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Manufacturers’ Performance

• Yamaha holds the record for the most WorldSSP victories at Misano with 15 wins, the highest total achieved by any manufacturer at a single circuit in the championship’s history. Honda and Kawasaki follow with five victories each.

Local Colours

• Italian fans will have several home riders to support at Misano, led by Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing), who arrives at the event fresh from a podium finish at Aragon.
   
• Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) will also be looking to build on the momentum from his maiden WorldSSP victory, secured in Race 1 at Aragon.
   
• Further local interest comes from Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing), Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing Yamaha), Leonardo Taccini (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team), Mattia Casadei (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team), Riccardo Rossi (Renzi Corse), Federico Caricasulo,  Jacopo Cretaro (Flembbo by Racing Development) and Andrea Giombini (Motozoo by Madforce Dubai), all aiming for strong results on home soil.

Salvador’s lead under pressure as WorldSPB heads to Misano

Recent Form and Momentum

• David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) remains at the top of the WorldSPB standings, although his advantage was reduced to 13 points following the Aragon Round. After securing his first victory of the season in Race 1, the Spaniard was taken out of contention in Race 2 and missed the opportunity to further extend his lead.
   
• Second in the championship is teammate Antonio Torres, who sits 13 points adrift of Salvador after another strong weekend for Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI.
   
• Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) climbed to third place in the standings following his maiden WorldSPB victory in Race 2 at MotorLand Aragon.
   
• Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) dropped to fourth in the championship after scoring just six points in Aragon. The Dutchman sits on 90 points, 36 behind Salvador.
   
• Level on points with Buis is Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2), whose hopes of a stronger Aragon weekend were ended by a Race 2 retirement.

Historical Performance

• The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli will host a WorldSPB race for the first time, although many riders on the grid have previous experience at the Italian venue from their WorldSSP300 careers.
   
• Among the current field, Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) boasts the strongest record at Misano, having claimed two victories at the circuit. 
   
• Matteo Vannucci, Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) and Benat Fernandez (Kove Racing Team 109) have also celebrated race wins at Misano in WorldSSP300.

Local Colours

• Italian fans will have plenty of riders to support during the championship’s first visit to Misano.
   
• Matteo Vannucci arrives at Misano as the highest-placed Italian in the championship, occupying fifth place in the standings, while Bruno Ieracisits seventh overall.
   
• Elia Bartolini (Team BrCorse) heads to Misano encouraged by a strong Race 2 performance at Aragon, while Mattia Sorrenti (Revo-M2),  Mirko Gennai (Panattoni BGR Smrz Racing), Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse ), Alessandro Di Persio (ARCO Yamaha MotoR University Team) and Thomas Benetti (MMR) complete the Italian contingent.