Nicolo Bulega won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday afternoon at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, in Australia. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R, the Italian won the 10-lap race by 2.752 seconds.
Axel Bassani was the runner-up on his Bimota by Kawasaki KB998 Rimini, and Alex Lowes was right behind his teammate in third.
American Garrett Gerloff finished 6th on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
Danilo Petrucci finished his race 10th on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.
Nicolo Bulega leads the championship with 37 points, 11 ahead of Yari Montella who has 26 points. Axel Bassani is third with 22 points.
ChampionshipStandings wsbk
More from a press release issued by FIM Superbike World Championship:
DRAMATIC BATTLE: Bulega fights back for P1 in the Superpole Race, Bassani takes his first Bimota podium.
Bulega doubled up in Australia with victory in the 10-lap race, with rain falling which made it a chaotic affair
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made it two from two in the Australian Round in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, but it was anything but simple for the #11. After losing ground at the start at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, finishing ahead of Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) who claimed his first podium for Bimota and his first rostrum in 939 days. Teammate Alex Lowes completed the rostrum.
MONTELLA LEADS, BULEGA DROPS: Off to a dramatic start…
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) got the holeshot as lights went out as he stormed into the lead, while polesitter Bulega dropped down to fourth on the opening lap. The #5 looked to build a gap over the chasing pack, but Alex Lowes closed the gap over the second lap as he chased Bimota’s first win in 26 years. At the start of Lap 4, Bulega got ahead of Alex Lowes at Turn 1 to move into second, after passing Bassani at the same corner the lap before. On Lap 4, Bulega barged his way ahead of Montella at Turn 10 to take the lead, while white flags were showing for spots of rain in Sectors 2 and 3 at the same time.
BASSANI CHASES BULEGA: The #11 holds on as ‘El Bocia’ returns to the rostrum
The drops of rain coincided with Bassani gaining on Bulega, after he got ahead of his teammate, gaining multiple tenths on the #11 across the final two sectors. Bulega was able to hold on heading on to Lap 7, while Montella ran wide at Turn 1 as he dropped out of the podium battle. At the front, on Lap 8, Bulega built up a lead of over a second to Bassani as he claimed his second win of the weekend and 22nd in WorldSBK, putting him level with Marco Melandri. Bassani took his first podium for Bimota with second, while Alex Lowes held on from Montella to make it a double Bimota podium for the first time since Race 2 at Estoril in 1988, when Stephane Mertens beat Davide Tardozzi.
SECOND ROW START IN RACE 2: Montella fourth ahead of Sam Lowes and Gerloff
Montella was classified in fourth, just 0.022s behind the #22 as he finished in fourth, although he did lead a lap in WorldSBK for the first time. He finished four tenths clear of Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in fifth as the Brit secured a second row start for Race 2 this afternoon. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) had been in the podium fight but Montella’s error at Turn 1 in the second half of the race cost them time.
FIGHTING BACK: Lecuona moves forward, Oliveira’s rollercoaster race
Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) battled from the fourth row to finish in seventh ahead of Race 1 podium finisher Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven), while Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was ninth. The #7 lost a huge chunk of time on the opening lap at Turn 1, but fought his way back through the field to secure a third-row start, with Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) just missing out in P10. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had been in that fight after starting 21st on the grid but he hit drama on the last lap, dropping from the top nine to 18th place.
VIERGE DOESN’T TAKE THE START: Technical problem hinders the #97
Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) did not take part in the race. He had been due to line up from ninth, but a technical issue on the bike forced him into the pits, with the Spanish rider unable to start the race. With Petrucci finishing tenth in the Superpole Race, he will line up from the same position in Race 2, with Vierge dropping from ninth to P11.
The top nine from the WorldSBK Superpole Race, full results here:
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +2.752s
3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +3.563s
4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +3.585s
5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +3.985
6. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) +4.250s
7. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.118s
8. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +8.178s
9. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.291s
Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega, Ducati – 1’28.688s
Don’t miss WorldSBK Race 2 from 16:00 Local Time (UTC+11) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
