Despite spending most of the Tissot Superpole Race in fourth and teammate Iker Lecuona keeping him honest in the final race, Nicolo Bulega asserted his dominance over the 2026 season once again at the Aragon Round.

Race 1

Bulega kept Lecuona at bay at the start and would continue to do so for the rest of Race One.  Just behind, Sam Lowes lost out to his brother Alex but by the start of the next tour was back in front.

37-year-old Tommy Bridewell ran in fifth and did a great job to repel Lorenzo Baldassari until the end.  Behind came Yari Montella and Axel Bassani.

These top eight positions would remain the same throughout the race.  BMW stand-in Hannes Soomer retired early as did Alvaro Bautista with brake problems.

Four Yamaha bikes were racing each other until Andrea Locatelli crashed out at turn 14 early on.  The bike slid past the apex of the following corner but thankfully was avoided by those behind.

Garret Gerloff, Tarran Mackenzie and the other BMW substitute Michael van der Mark disposed of the remaining Yamahas who continued to fall down the order.  Meanwhile, Bulega took a controlled victory from pole for 20 consecutive race wins and looked in little doubt to extend that run on Sunday.

Race 1 Results

 

Tissot Superpole Race

Alberto Surra was this time able to start from where he qualified on the front row after a penalty in Race One.  Surra would make it into second on the first lap as Bulega (electing for a harder rear tyre than most) ran wide on the exit of the first corner and Lecuona took the lead.

Surra pressured Lecuona for the lead and he snatched it briefly on lap two while further back Locatelli and Mackenzie took each other out on lap two as Bulega fell behind Sam Lowes to fourth.  Sam made it into the lead on lap three with an aggressive move that was so harsh on Lecuona he let him straight back through.

The action was thrilling with Bulega still trapped in fourth and for the first time all year there was a lead pack of several bikes.  Sam moved cleanly in front at the start of lap five but Bulega had started to recover by this stage.

Although Bulega made it into the lead on lap six he lost it twice as Lecuona, Sam Lowes and even Lorenzo Baldassri got involved for the win before crashing out on the penultimate tour.  By lap eight Bulega looked to have asserted himself but Lecuona sneaked by again at turn 15 then the positions changed back once more and were not settled until the final lap in the former’s favour.

Tissot Superpole Race Results

 

Race 2

After easily the best WorldSBK race of 2026 earlier in the day when Bulega looked vulnerable on a harder tyre (that ultimately still paid off), hopes were high for Race Two.  Lecuona edged ahead briefly at the last corner on the opening lap but Bulega nonetheless controlled the pace to land a 22nd consecutive victory.

Baldassari and Vierge crashed at turn one and Soomer slid out early on just as he had in Race One.  Sam Lowes ran safely in third as his brother Alex repelled Surra and his teammate Bassani for fourth.

Bridewell was the meat in a Barni Spark Ducati sandwich while Gerloff and van der Mark ran behind them in the same pack.  Meanwhile, Mackenzie circulated 12th ahead of trio of despondent Yamaha’s and Chantra secured a point in 15th due to attrition while his teammate Jake Dixon’s comeback was cut short as he was ruled out of competing on Sunday.

Surra slid back to seventh and Bridewell to ninth as Montella retired after a crash at turn nine but his teammate Bautista at least made progress.  The biggest mover though was Gerloff who followed Bautista climbing through the lower top ten positions and after a great battle prevailed for sixth.

Race 2 Results

Championship Standings

Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK