Nicolo Bulega took pole position during World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at Misano Circuit Sic58, in Italy. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Bulega recorded a lap time of 1:31.618, which was not only good enough to top the 22-rider field and secure pole position it also eclipsed Razgatlioglu’s 2024 All-Time Lap Record of 1:32.320.
After being investigated for slow riding in Superpole, Nicolo Bulega received a three-place grid drop and will now line up fourth for Race 1.
Toprak Razgatlioglu qualified second with a 1:31.856 on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.
Axel Bassani did a 1:32.337 on his Kawasaki Racing Team bimota KB998 Rimini to earn the third and final spot on the front row.
Row two starters include ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes (1:32.419), Bassani’s teammate, Alex Lowes (1:32.466), and Remy Gardner on his GYTR GRT Yamaha YZF R1 (1:32.562).
Danilo Petrucci finished ninth with a time of 1:32.656 on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R.
American Garrett Gerloff qualified 15th with a 1:33.264 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
More from a press release issued by Dorna:
SUPERPOLE DRAMA: Bulega obliterates Misano lap record for P1 but penalised, Bassani gives Bimota first front row since 1989. Nicolo Bulega claimed P1 on the timesheets ahead of Razgatlioglu, with both riders in the 1’31s, while Bassani took P3 – his first front row since 2023.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was the fastest rider in the Tissot Superpole session for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with an unbelievable 1’31.618s lap time, more than two tenths clear of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in second at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”. They will be joined on the front row by Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) as ‘El Bocia’ celebrated Bimota’s home round with their first front row in more than 35 years.
THE FIRST RUN: Bassani fast but behind Bulega
The first runs were disrupted by a yellow flag after Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) fell at Turn 4, but that didn’t stop Bulega putting in a record-breaking 1’32.109s to move into a provisional P1; the time was two tenths quicker than the previous lap record. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was second in the early running with a 1’32.732s, ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who had a provisional front row starting position.
RECORD SMASHED: Bulega claims P1 on the timesheets, Razgatlioglu second as Bassani takes front row
Razgatlioglu had time on the table to find and he did so on his first lap of his second run, putting in a barely-believable with a 1’31.856s, more than two tenths clear of Bulega who was also on a flying lap. Despite being two tenths slower and losing time in the first sector, the #11 put in a lap that was two tenths quicker than ‘El Turco’ – a remarkable 1’31.618s – to claim P1 on the timesheets on home soil. However, Bulega, along with Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven), was placed under investigation for slow riding during Superpole and was later given a three-place grid penalty – meaning he’ll start Race 1 from fourth. Razgatlioglu will line up from second, with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) claiming third with a 1’32.337s; it’s his first front row since Imola 2023, and Bimota’s first since Giancarlo Falappa and Mike Baldwin were first and third at Pergusa in 1989.
LOWES BROTHERS LINE UP TOGETHER: fourth and fifth for Sam and Alex
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) continued his strong Superpole form with P4 as the second Ducati rider, finishing half-a-tenth clear of twin brother Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) in fifth after the #22 posted a 1’32.466s. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has been fighting to be the lead Yamaha rider all weekend and he was in Superpole as he claimed sixth place with a 1’32.571s.
FOUR ITALIANS ROUND OUT THE TOP TEN: Iannone leads ‘Loka’, Montella tenth
Iannone was seventh on the timesheets although received the same penalty as Bulega, demoting him to tenth on the grid. This promoted Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) from eighth to seventh after he set a 1’32.623s while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounded will go from eighth and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) has been impressive throughout the season, especially at Misano, as he claimed P10 on the timesheets, but will start from P9 in Race 1.
A DAY TO FORGET: Bautista, Rea suffer worst Superpole results at Misano
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had been running in the top three all weekend but could only manage 11th in Superpole. For Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha), he was 16th on the timesheets, and, for both, it was their worst Superpole result at Misano.
The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’31.618s*
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.238s
3. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.719s
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0-801s
5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.848s
6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.944s
*Will start Race 1 from fourth
Follow Race 1 from Misano at 14:00 Local Time (UTC+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 30% off!