Nicolò Bulega continues to write important chapters in the history of the Superbike World Championship. At the Misano circuit, in front of his home crowd, the Italian rider secured his eighth consecutive pole position of the season, matching a milestone previously achieved by one of the category’s greatest stars, Jonathan Rea.
With a stunning lap time of 1:31.343, Bulega not only claimed pole position for Race 1 but also set a new lap record for the circuit, further underlining his exceptional form and the dominance he has displayed throughout the opening stages of the championship.
Starting alongside him on the front row will be Iker Lecuona, who posted the second-fastest time, 0.227 seconds behind the Ducati rider. Alex Lowes completed the front row, securing his first top-three qualifying result of the season and giving Bimota a special boost during its home weekend.
Italian riders also delivered an impressive performance, locking out the entire second row. Yari Montella qualified fourth ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Alberto Surra, providing the Misano fans with even more reasons to dream of a successful weekend for the home contingent.
The Superpole session was not without drama. Garrett Gerloff, Sam Lowes, and Tommy Bridewell were all involved in crashes that compromised their qualifying efforts. Gerloff, in particular, was unable to return to the track and will be forced to start from the back of the grid.
By claiming his eighth consecutive pole position, Bulega equals the record set by Jonathan Rea in 2021 and further strengthens his credentials as the favorite for victory in the Emilia-Romagna Round. At Misano, the championship leader once again arrives as the rider everyone will be chasing.