Nicolo Bulega won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday morning at Circuito Estoril, in Portugal. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R, the 2026 Champion won the 10-lap race by 0.734 seconds.

His teammate, Iker Lecuona was the runner-up, and Alberto Surra was third on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigales V4R.

Home hero, Miguel Oliveira, got fourth on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR and Alvaro Bautista got fifth on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R.

Danilo Petrucci finished his race 16th on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.

American Garrett Gerloff finished 18th on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. 

Nicolo Bulega leads the championship with 639 points, 141 ahead of Iker Lecuona who has 498 points. Yari Montella is third with 277 points.

More, from a press release issued by WSBK:

RECORD BREAKER: Bulega takes historic 28th win of 2026 as Surra denies Oliveira dream home rostrum. Bulega took advantage of an error from Lecuona, who finished P2, while Surra claimed P3 after a last-lap battle with Oliveira. 

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made more MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship history with a 28^th win of the 2026 campaign. He won the Tissot Superpole Race at the Circuito Estoril ahead of teammate Iker Lecuona, while Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) snatched third place from home hero Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) on the final lap at the Tissot Estoril Round.

MORE HISTORY FOR BULEGA AS OLIVEIRA IS DENIED

Lecuona got a sensational start when the race got underway as he claimed the lead at Turn 1, while Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) made an aggressive move at the opening corner, making contact with Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), with both dropping down the order, which allowed Oliveira to move into a provisional podium spot, slotting in behind polesitter Bulega. Montella was given a Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding. At the start of Lap 3, Lecuona had a huge moment under braking at Turn 1 and ran wide, allowing his teammate to take the lead and allowing Oliveira to challenge for P2; the #7 just held on. That gave Bulega breathing room at the head of the field as he claimed a record-breaking 28^th win of the season, beating the previous best set by Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) in 2023 when he won 27 times. Lecuona claimed his 30^th WorldSBK podium, 28 of which have come this season. In the fight for third, it looked like Oliveira had the rostrum covered but Surra put on a late spurt to claim third after passing the BMW star at Turn 3 on Lap 10, with Oliveira unable to respond across the rest of the final lap. That gave Surra his third podium in the last four races.

SECOND ROW START FOR BAUTISTA

Bautista made quick progress in the early stages of the 10-lap race, launching up to the top five and remaining there for his first top five finish since the Balaton Park Superpole Race. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was another who had a great start and he eventually finished the race in sixth place, keeping in touch with Bautista but unable to get close enough to pass. It means the second row for Race 2 will be Oliveira, Bautista and Bassani.

THREE MANUFACTURERS ON THE THIRD ROW IN RACE 2

Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will line up from the third row for this afternoon’s Race 2 after claiming seventh ahead of Jake Dixon (Honda HRC), with the #96 losing one place compared to his starting position but securing an all-important top nine finish. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) rounded out the top nine, with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) missing out on a third-row start in Race 2 as he finished in P10.

ALEX LOWES AND MONTELLA LOSE OUT

With both Alex Lowes and Montella dropping down the order, they both lose out on the Race 2 grid. The #22 will start from 10^th while Montella will line up from P11 in the final race of the weekend in Portugal.

The top nine from the WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.734s
3. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +6.465s
4. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +6.606s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.152s
6. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +10.035s
7. Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +11.642s
8. Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) +12.120s
9. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +12.960s

Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati), 1’34.525 – new lap record

Don’t miss the final race from Estoril at 15:30 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!