10:15
Just for reference on that Bulega lap, Fabio Quartararo's pole position lap in MotoGP qualifying this year was a 1:36.610. Not trying to start the WSBK/MotoGP debate with that, just pointing out the quality of Bulega's level.
Nicolo Bulega, 2025 Spanish WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
LIVE
2025 Spanish WorldSBK: Superpole LIVE UPDATES
Live coverage of the Superpole session at the Spanish WorldSBK from the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.
Superpole at the Spanish WorldSBK is due to start this morning at 11:00 local time. Race 1 will be coming up this afternoon at 14:00.
Nicolo Bulega was fastest on Friday and lowered his benchmark into the 1:37s in FP3, the only rider to dip below the 1:38 barrier.
The Italian trails Toprak Razgatlioglu by 39 points in the title race coming into this weekend, meaning he must outscore Razgatlioglu by at least two points in Race 1 later today to keep the points battle going into the Superpole Race.
Razgatlioglu himself was second on the combined times yesterday but only fourth-fastest in FP2 itself. He was third this morning behind Bulega and Sam Lowes, who continues to struggle with the rib injury that kept him out of Estoril last weekend.
Jonathan Rea faces his penultimate day as a full-time WorldSBK racer today. He started it in FP3 this morning by setting the fourth-fastest time. He was optimistic yesterday about his chances to turn around his weekend, despite a tough opening day in Jerez. A good qualifying will be key for him to be able to achieve good race results in his final weekend.
18 Oct 2025
10:24
10:16
Bulega takes Jerez pole
It's pole position for Nicolo Bulega at Jerez. He's only the second person after Tom Sykes to take multiple WorldSBK poles at Jerez.
Razgatlioglu second, and Sam Lowes completes the front row after Superpole.
Alex Lowes takes fourth on the Bimota, then its Iannone and a very happy Remy Gardner on the second row.
Rea, Bautista, and Vierge on row three; then Locatelli, Mackenzie, and van der Mark on the fourth row.
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10:13
Bulega improving on his latest lap, deeper now into the 36s with a 1:36.629, that's almost a second better than his pole from last year and 0.5s clear of Razgatlioglu. Incredible speed.
10:12
First lap of Razgatlioglu's second run is a 1:37.153, it's a big improvement from the BMW rider but not enough to beat Bulega. P2 now for Razgatlioglu.
10:10
Sam Lowes tearing up in the pit box and with the helmet off. He's still struggling with his rib injury and said yesterday that he was unsure if he would be able to finish the races. Clearly session over for him but could still end up with a front row grid position at the end of this.
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10:09
Razgatlioglu among the first riders to head out for their second run, van der Mark in-tow.
10:08
Top 12 after the first runs:
Bulega, Sam Lowes, Razgatlioglu;
Iannone, Rea, Alex Lowes;
Bautista, Gardner, Vierge;
Bassani, Locatelli, van der Mark.
Second runs to come, seven minutes remaining in Superpole.
10:05
And Bulega does beat that - a 1:36.927! That's the first-ever 1:36 in WorldSBK history around here. Ballistic speed from the Italian.
Sam Lowes goes second, albeit 0.6s behind him.
Razgatlioglu now back to third, 0.7s off the top and back in the pits.
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10:04
Early benchmark from Razgatlioglu is a 1:37.707 - that's the fastest lap of the weekend but Bulega will beat that.
10:00
Superpole start
Pit lane is open in Jerez and the final Superpole of the season is underway.
09:58
Jonathan Rea
Pole positions is one of the few records in WorldSBK that Jonathan Rea has never held. He currently has 44, and a 45th seems highly unlikely this morning, but this will be his final Superpole session before retiring from full-time racing.
A strong result this morning will be key for him to try to fight for important positions in this weekend's three races.
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09:56
Can Bulega unnerve Razgatlioglu?
There have been some signs of stress for Toprak Razgatlioglu in the last couple of weeks, after his outburst towards Andrea Iannone and Andrea Locatelli in Estoril last week and this morning when he was frustrated at traffic, even making contact with Tito Rabat, during FP3.
Whether he's actually feeling any pressure for the title at all is knowledge only for him, really, but Bulega has certainly brought his best this weekend and has topped every session so far.
He took pole position last year with a 1:37.596, but looks like he could demolish that time this weekend.
For Bulega the title by now is really out of his hands, but if he goes out and beats Razgatlioglu in the sessions that really matter it's all he can realistically do this weekend.
09:52
Conditions
Dry conditions this morning for Superpole and fairly cool, certainly cooler than it'll be later for Race 1.
Bulega was in the 1:37s this morning in FP3. Could we see a 1:36 in Superpole?
09:49
Welcome to live coverage of today's WorldSBK action from Jerez. Superpole will be coming up in 10 minutes at 11:00 local time.
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