‘Superbike style’ catches out Nicolo Bulega in Portimao MotoGP Sprint
Nicolo Bulega’s MotoGP learning curve continued at Portimao as a “Superbike style” braking mistake cost him in qualifying and the Sprint.
Nicolo Bulega’s second day as a MotoGP rider saw the WorldSBK title runner-up reach new heights with 13th in a damp Saturday practice, before a “Superbike style” braking mistake ended his hopes in the Portuguese Sprint race.
Standing in for the injured Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati team, Bulega again turned heads when he was a contender for Qualifying 1’s transfer spots - until he ran wide.
Starting the Sprint from 18th, and joining the rest of the riders on the hard front tyre, the Italian was again caught out under braking - suffering his first MotoGP fall while in 17th place on lap 4.
“It was a day where I couldn’t put everything together, but I saw some positive things,” Bulega told Sky Italia.
“I’m struggling a bit with braking: with the Pirelli tyres, you can be aggressive and stop the bike immediately.
“With these [Michelins], you can’t be aggressive in the first braking section, you have to brake later.
“In qualifying, I made a mistake in the last corner, while in the Sprint I was doing a good lap, except that I braked in a ‘Superbike style’.”
Bulega added: "It was my first laps with the hard front tyre and I was trying to understand how it works.
"I overtook some riders, and I was trying to push to catch Morbidelli, but I braked too hard and lost the front while I was completely straight.
"This is the most difficult thing for me now because the braking style in MotoGP is the complete opposite of Superbike."
Bulega had already identified braking as his main challenge after Friday’s opening day of MotoGP practice.
“In Superbike, you can be very aggressive on the first touch of braking, and you feel the bike stopping. Here, no, you have to be smooth at first and then pull on the lever more,” he explained.
“So I have to change my riding style. But after two years in Superbike with the Pirellis, it’s not easy to switch my riding style in one day.”
Team-mate Francesco Bagnaia finished the Sprint in eighth place after suffering major traction issues.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
