WorldSBK Round 2, Bulega Completes Perfect Portimão Hat-Trick

Bulega Completes Perfect Hat-Trick as Ducati Dominates | Nicolo Bulega continued his flawless start to the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship with another perfect weekend at Portimão, extending his championship advantage after sweeping all three races. Photos: WorldSBK Press

Nicolo Bulega left Portugal with maximum points for the second consecutive round after completing a dominant hat-trick at the spectacular Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider once again proved untouchable around the undulating Portimão circuit, winning Race 1, the Tissot Superpole Race and Sunday’s Race 2 to make it six victories from six starts in 2026.

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Starting from pole position in Race 2, Bulega immediately established himself at the front before gradually building a comfortable advantage. Although teammate Iker Lecuona initially lost ground off the line, the Spaniard quickly fought back into contention, first passing Alex Lowes before overtaking home hero Miguel Oliveira to secure second place for the third time during the weekend.

Bulega never looked troubled once clear of the chasing pack, controlling the race with remarkable consistency and eventually taking the chequered flag almost two seconds ahead of Lecuona. His victory also marked his tenth consecutive WorldSBK race win stretching back to the opening round at Phillip Island, firmly establishing him as the early championship favourite.

Behind the factory Ducati pair, Miguel Oliveira delivered one of the stories of the weekend. Racing in front of more than 82,000 Portuguese fans, the former MotoGP winner celebrated three consecutive third-place finishes aboard the BMW M 1000 RR. Despite coming under pressure from Bimota’s Alex Lowes during the closing laps, Oliveira resisted every challenge to secure his maiden WorldSBK podium hat-trick in just his second weekend in the championship.

Alex Lowes again demonstrated the growing competitiveness of the new Bimota by Kawasaki package with fourth place, while brother Sam Lowes completed an impressive clean sweep of fifth-place finishes for the Marc VDS Ducati squad. The consistency of the top five across all three races highlighted just how evenly matched the leading contenders were once Bulega established his advantage.

Further back, Yari Montella recovered to sixth after an eventful weekend, ahead of Yamaha’s Xavi Vierge and BMW’s Danilo Petrucci. Jake Dixon brought the factory Honda home in ninth, while Andrea Locatelli rounded out the top ten for Yamaha.

The championship picture is already becoming clear after just two rounds. Bulega’s start has delivered a commanding points lead, while Ducati has also opened a substantial margin in the manufacturers’ standings. Lecuona’s move to the factory Ducati squad has immediately paid dividends with six podium finishes, while Oliveira’s rapid adaptation to WorldSBK machinery has positioned BMW as Ducati’s closest challenger heading into Assen.

Portimão also reinforced the strength of Ducati’s 2026 package, with the Panigale V4 R once again setting the benchmark for race pace. However, performances from BMW and the returning Bimota operation suggest the season may yet provide plenty of close battles once the championship heads to circuits suited to their strengths.

With six victories from six races and maximum championship points, Bulega arrives at the next round carrying enormous momentum as he continues his pursuit of a maiden WorldSBK crown.

How Did the Aussies Go?

Australian riders continued to gain valuable championship experience in Portugal. Oli Bayliss remained inside the WorldSSP Championship top 10 after another solid weekend, banking consistent points as he continues adapting to the highly competitive Supersport field. In the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, Tayla Relph added further championship points with another determined performance, remaining inside the overall top 10 after two rounds. While neither rider featured on the podium, both continue to build confidence and experience as the 2026 season gathers momentum.