Nicolò Bulega continues to make World Superbike history. At the Circuito de Jerez, hosting the final round of the 2026 season, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider secured his 11th pole position of the year, equalling the record established by Ben Spies in 2009.
The World Champion dominated the Spanish Round Superpole session, setting a fastest lap of 1:36.643. Sam Lowes finished second aboard the Marc VDS Ducati, 0.317 seconds behind, while Bulega’s teammate Iker Lecuona completed the front row in third, 0.455 seconds off the pace.
It was Bulega’s 20th career pole position in WorldSBK and his third consecutive pole at the Spanish circuit. The Italian is now just one pole away from matching Carl Fogarty’s career total.
Bulega Dominates as Ducati Sets Another Record
Bulega immediately established himself as the rider to beat, completing his first flying lap in 1:36.948 and opening a gap of almost half a second over his closest rivals.
On his second attempt, the Italian improved further, lowering the benchmark to 1:36.643 and securing the top spot on the grid.
His performance also allowed Ducati to achieve a historic milestone. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer has claimed every pole position of the 2026 season, repeating its achievement from 1992, when it secured 13 poles in 13 rounds.
Sam Lowes finished second with a time of 1:36.960, improving his previous year’s benchmark by more than seven tenths of a second. Lecuona took third, completing an all-Ducati front row.
Montella Fourth, Alex Lowes Fifth
Yari Montella will start from fourth position after setting a 1:37.381 aboard the Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati.
Alex Lowes qualified fifth on the Bimota, eight tenths behind the pole sitter, while Lorenzo Baldassarri secured sixth place with a 1:37.639 on the Team GoEleven Ducati.
Tommy Bridewell will start seventh, ahead of Alberto Surra and Alvaro Bautista. The Spanish rider recorded only his third top-ten Superpole result of the season.
Axel Bassani completed the top ten aboard the second Bimota.
WorldSBK Jerez 2026: Superpole Top Six
| Pos. | Rider | Manufacturer | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolò Bulega | Ducati | 1:36.643 |
| 2 | Sam Lowes | Ducati | +0.317 |
| 3 | Iker Lecuona | Ducati | +0.455 |
| 4 | Yari Montella | Ducati | +0.738 |
| 5 | Alex Lowes | Bimota | +0.800 |
| 6 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | Ducati | +0.996 |
Bulega Prepares for His Final WorldSBK Weekend
The Jerez round also marks Bulega’s final appearance in the World Superbike Championship before beginning a new chapter in his racing career.
The Italian arrives at the season finale having already secured the World Championship title, with an opportunity to conclude his time in the category by adding further victories to his record.
His first chance will come in Race 1, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at 15:30 local time. Starting from pole position, Bulega will aim to convert another outstanding qualifying performance into victory.