Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) ended his time in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship career with his 52^nd victory in the class, tying Troy Bayliss. He was ahead of teammate Iker Lecuona at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Andalucia in a race impacted by late rain. In the battle for third, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) beat Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) on the final lap, denying the #19 a sensational podium in what could be his final race.

BULEGA SAYS GOODBYE WITH A WIN, BAUTISTA DENIED

Lecuona grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1 to lead the race, although Bulega responded at Turn 6 on the opening lap to re-take P1, although the big mover was Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team): he jumped up from sixth on the grid to immediately slot into a provisional podium spot. Bulega started eking out a gap over Lecuona while Bautista had to defend from Sam Lowes in the early stages of the 20-lap race. As the race approached the halfway mark, two-time WorldSBK Champion started building up a gap over the chasing Sam Lowes. With rain starting to fall in the final quarter of the race, the #14 closed the gap to Bautista but the fight went down to the final lap. The #14 made his move at Turn 5 to move into third and, after Bautista tried to run wide at Turn 6, the Brit held on to take the final place on the podium. Bulega went on to take his 52^nd win in WorldSBK, putting him level with Troy Bayliss in fifth in the all-time list, while he’ll go down in folklore as the last Pirelli race winner as they leave the Championship after this race. For Lecuona, it was his 34^th WorldSBK rostrum while Sam Lowes took his 17^th podium.

BARNI DUCATI IN FOURTH AND FIFTH

Bautista was forced to settle for fourth after the British rider overtook him, but he still capped off a strong weekend – potentially his last in WorldSBK – by beating teammate Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) to fifth. Despite losing out on the podium, the #19 received a hero’s welcome when he arrived back in the box. Montella had to fight his way through the field to claim a top five finish, getting ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) in the closing stages. Bautista and Montella’s results mean the Barni Ducati team finish second in the Teams’ Championship.

A STRONG FINISH FOR BIMOTA

Both Bimota riders finished in the top eight. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) got a great start to initially leap up the order, before eventually finishing in seventh. Teammate Axel Bassani was directly behind him in eighth. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) finished in ninth with Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) rounding out the top ten.

ENDING THE SEASON WITH POINTS

Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) narrowly missed out on a top finish by around a second, while he was ahead of Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha). The #97 finished his final race in Yamaha blue as the lead rider for the Japanese manufacturer, and the only one in the points, as he prepares to move to Barni Ducati for 2027. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) finished ahead of Honda HRC duo Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon (Honda HRC), who rounded out the points-paying positions.

MISSING OUT IN RACE 2

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished in 16^th ahead of Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), while Loris Baz (MGM Optical Express Racing) was 18^th. At the start of the race, the French rider was running just outside the top ten, before eventually taking the chequered flag in 18^th. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 19^th ahead of Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who potentially raced his last race in World Superbike. Twan Smits (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) and teammate Mattia Rato rounded out the WorldSBK riders; every rider finished the race in tricky conditions.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (it Racing - Ducati)
2. Iker Lecuona (it Racing - Ducati) +4.696s
3. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +13.349s
4. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) +14.928s
5. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +17.192s
6. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +18.120s
   Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati), 1'37.573s

Championship standings

1. Nicolo Bulega (it Racing - Ducati) 726 points
2. Iker Lecuona (it Racing - Ducati) 563
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 318
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 268
5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 259
6. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) 236

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