Rookie sensation: Nicolo Bulega makes history with maiden WorldSBK win

Nicolo Bulega achieved a remarkable feat by winning Race 1 at Phillip Island on his WorldSBK debut, becoming the first rider to accomplish this since Alvaro Bautista in 2019. After four years away from racing, Andrea Iannone made a stunning return, leading the race and ultimately securing a podium finish. Despite initially finishing in fourth place, Toprak Razgatlioglu received a penalty for a Pit Intervention Time infringement, which dropped him to fifth.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) stole the show by claiming victory on his WorldSBK debut, achieving a remarkable feat as the first WorldSSP Reigning Champion to win on his first SBK race, marking an unprecedented accomplishment in the championship’s history.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) displayed impressive pace and strategy to claim second place. Making a sensational return to racing, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) secured third place after leading in the early stages of the race. Locatelli and Iannone completed an all-Italian podium sweep, echoing a milestone last achieved in 1993.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) demonstrated strong competitiveness, finishing in fourth position, followed closely by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK), who initially crossed the line in fourth but was demoted to fifth.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) struggled to find his rhythm, ultimately finishing in 15th position after a crash, while Jonathan Rea’s (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) difficulties persisted as he crossed the line outside the points in 17th place. Australian Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), encountered misfortune during the race, as a collision with another rider led to an early retirement.

P1 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Maybe it’s the best day of my life! It’s difficult to already believe it but it is something incredible; I was dreaming about this for many months but now it’s reality. I took pole position; I won my first race and got the lap record. It’s something special that I’ll never forget. I started to cry a little bit and then, there were good emotions as I saw all my guys on the finish line and all my guys with a big, incredible smile. It was so nice for me. It’s incredible because this team is like my second family, and they always believed in me. When I came here from Moto2™, I was in a bad moment, but they kept believing. This is my third year with them, and we started in a very good way. I’ll try to continue giving them a lot of smiles. I’m ready for my first Tissot Superpole Race and I’ll try to do my best.”

 WorldSBK Race 1 Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +2.280s
3. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +2.630s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.728s
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +5.706s
6. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +8.333s

 WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Results
1. Nicolo Bulega | Ducati | 1’27.916s
2. Andrea Iannone | Ducati | +0.238s
3. Alex Lowes | Kawasaki | +0.323s

Montella triumphs in thrilling WorldSSP Race 1 at Phillip Island
Yari Montella clinched victory after a gripping battle, marking his return to the top step of the podium.

Polesitter Adrian Huertas faced disappointment as he encountered issues before the race began, preventing him from competing.

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) secured victory after overcoming a poor start and establishing a commanding lead in Race 1 at Phillip Island. Montella’s flawless performance ended a drought of over 400 days for his WorldSSP victories. He led the field with precision, leaving Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) trailing behind as he crossed the finish line triumphantly. A fierce battle unfolded between Schroetter and Manzi for second place, with Manzi eventually gaining the upper hand to secure the runner-up position.

Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) engaged in an intense battle for fourth place, with Caricasulo ultimately securing the position in his debut with the team. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) finished sixth after starting from the back of the grid due to a tire pressure infringement, rounding up the top performers of the race.

 WorldSSP Race 1 Results
1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +6.666s
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +6.968s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +16.748s
5. Oliver Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) +17.452s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +17.580s

WorldSBK action resumes on Sunday with Warm Up from 10:30 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole Race at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00, while WorldSSP action continues on Sunday with Warm Up from 10:50, and Race 2 at 14:30.

Source : https://www.fim-moto.com/en/news/news-detail/article/rookie-sensation-nicolo-bulega-makes-history-with-maiden-worldsbk-win

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