Nicolò Bulega led FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R on spec Pirelli tires, the Italian rider covered the 2.63-mile (4.23 km) track in 1:32.235 to lead the field of 22 riders.
His teammate, Iker Lecuona was second-best with a 1:32.401.
Yari Montella was third with a 1:32.811 on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R.
American Garrett Gerloff was 17th with a time of 1:33.657 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:
Bulega pips Lecuona by 0.166s on Friday at Misano, #7 crashes as Montella completes the top three.
The Championship leader topped the running on the opening day of action at his home round
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made it a clean sweep on Friday at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as he topped both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2. The #11 was 0.166s quicker than teammate Iker Lecuona in second as the first day of the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round concluded, with Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounding out the top three.
BULEGA FASTEST, LECUONA CRASHES
Bulega topped Free Practice 1 on Friday morning and backed that up in Free Practice 2, immediately setting a 1’32.265s to set the pace, before improving to a 1’32.235s later on as he completed a short stint at the start of the 45-minute session. Bulega’s teammate, Lecuona, was just under two tenths away from the #11 but had a dramatic afternoon when he crashed at Turn 8 with around 12 minutes remaining. He quickly brought his Panigale V4R back to the pits for repairs, and rejoined the track action in the final five minutes. His best time was a 1’32.401s. Montella completed the top three with a 1’32.811s, finishing a tenth ahead of Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in P4. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) put in a late lap to claim P6 overall after posting a 1’33.014s, continuing his fine run of form, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) and Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing) in eighth and ninth respectively. Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) finished in 11th with a 1’33.518s, half-a-tenth clear of Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) in 12th.
BOTH BIMOTAS IN THE TOP SEVEN
Bimota secured a front row start at Misano in 2025, thanks to Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), and they will be hoping to repeat that this year. ‘El Bocia’ finished Free Practice 2 in fifth place, after posting a 1’33.003s, and in the same position on the combined classification, as he finished two places and less than a tenth clear of teammate Alex Lowes.
VIERGE IN THE TOP TEN
Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) led Yamaha’s charge on Friday as he finished in 10th place with a 1’33.431s, around 1.2s down on Bulega. GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi finished line astern in 13th and 14th respectively, with just 0.036s separating the pair. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was just 0.009s away from Manzi as he finished in P15. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished in 20th place with his teammate, Mattia Rato, the last classified rider in 22nd; the #13 was one of only two riders not to improve their time in FP2.
GERLOFF DOWN THE ORDER
Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) started his Friday with a 2027 contract renewal in his pocket, although the Texan was the highest-placed rider not to improve his time in the afternoon. In the combined classification, his 1’33.640s was good enough for P16 overall.
OLIVEIRA RETURNS TO WORLD SUPERBIKE ACTION
Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) made his comeback from injury at Misano after a medical check on Thursday, and he was reassessed again after FP1 before being declared fit. The Portuguese star finished in 17th place on the combined timesheets after posting a 1’33.645s. He’s joined this weekend by Michael van der Mark, who is standing in for Danilo Petrucci, who heads to Misano on the back of WorldSBK testing and an FIM EWC race last weekend. The Dutchman was one place and 0.182s behind his teammate.
CHANTRA ON TOP AT HONDA
Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC) was the lead Honda rider on Friday in Italy, finishing in 19th place after posting a 1’34.002s. The Thai rider has Ryan Vickers as his teammate for the Emilia-Romagna Round, as Jake Dixon continues his rehabilitation from the wrist injury he sustained in Australia, and Vickers was the 21stfastest on the timesheets, posting a 1’34.693s.
The top six from Friday’s WorldSBK action, full results here:
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’32.235s
- Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.166s
- Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.576s
- Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.669s
- Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.768s
- Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +0.779s
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