WorldSBK testing at Phillip Island wrapped up with Nicolo Bulega firmly on top, the Ducati rider sweeping all sessions as the Italian brand locked out the top four. With rivals chasing and crashes adding drama, attention now turns to this weekend’s season-opening showdown.
WorldSBK testing at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit wrapped up with Nicolo Bulega setting the benchmark on a dominant Ducati showing. The Italian topped all four sessions, completing 138 laps of the 4.445km circuit, while the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad locked out the first four positions on the timesheets.
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Bulega’s fastest lap of 1’28.630 confirmed his status as the man to beat, with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) six tenths behind. Bassani and Lowes proved competitive for bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, completing a combined 140 laps and showing strong pace ahead of the opening round.
Crashes marred the final day of testing, with Jake Dixon sidelined by a fractured left wrist after a Turn 11 fall. Stefano Manzi and Alvaro Bautista also crashed at Turn 2 and Turn 10 respectively, though Bautista still topped the mileage charts with 74 laps.
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Lorenzo Baldassarri’s return to Superbike impressed as the Team GoEleven rider ended the test third fastest, while Miguel Oliveira led the rookies in seventh place for ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
Nicolo Bulega – P1:
“I feel good with the bike. We tried something different during the second session but then returned to the previous setting. There’s still a lot of room to improve, and I want to take that step forward with my team ahead of the race weekend.”
Sam Lowes – P2:
“I had a really good day. We improved the bike this afternoon and I found a good rhythm after a longer run in the morning. The team has done a great job session by session, and I feel competitive heading into the weekend.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri – P3:
“It was another positive day. We focused on consistency with the race tyre and built a strong feeling with the bike. Testing results were a bit unexpected, but I feel ready for the first race weekend.”
Day 2 Combined Results:
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’28.630s
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.666s
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.698s
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.721s
Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.743s
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.945s
Testing now concluded, the paddock turns its focus to Round 1, with Bulega and Ducati looking ominously strong as the season opener approaches.
