Nicolo Bulega won a MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship contest at Donington Park for the first time this morning, after fighting back to take victory in the Tissot Superpole Race. The Italian’s win in the shorter sprint-length race was his 22nd of the season for the championship leader.
Bulega started from pole position, but was beaten off the line, not only by the sister Ducati of Aruba.It Racing teammate Iker Lecuona, but also Yari Montella on another of the Italian machines. Lecuona then stormed off, seeking to follow up on his Saturday success, but his victory hopes came to a crashing halt when he fell at Goddards on lap two.
This left Montella’s Barni Spark Racing Team motorcycle at the front, but facing pressure from Bulega. Montella managed to stay in front as the race reached the midway point, but Bulega produced a decisive move on lap five to seize the lead at the Melbourne hairpin. From there, Bulega controlled the pace to win by over a second after 10 laps.
Montella was second, facing little challenge to his own position, but there was a popular result just behind him as Sam Lowes scored a podium result on home soil. It was a poignant podium for the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, following the recent news of team founder Marc van der Straten’s passing.
Jut off the podium, Lowes’ twin brother, Alex, came out best in a battle of the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team riders, to head home Axel Bassani. Lorenzo Baldassarri was sixth, just ahead of former British champion Tommy Bridewell, who has produced a strong weekend so far. Xavi Vierge, Garrett Gerloff and Jonathan Rea completed the top-10.
MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Tissot Superpole Race, Donington Park
- Nicolo Bulega, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati,
- Yari Montella, Barni Spark Racing Team, +1.581s
- Sam Lowes, ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, +3.346s
- Alex Lowes, bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, +5.614s
- Axel Bassani, bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, +5.836s
- Lorenzo Baldassarri, Team Goeleven, +6.664s
- Tommy Bridewell, Superbike Advocates, +7.830s
- Xavi Vierge, Pata Maxus Yamaha, +8.147s
- Garrett Gerloff, Kawasaki WorldSBK Team, +10.886s
- Jonathan Rea, Honda HRC, +11.894s