Race 2 at the 2026 Australian WorldSBK is due to start at 16:00 local time.
Nicolo Bulega will start from pole position for this weekend's second full-length race after winning the Superpole earlier today. Bulega won Race 1 from pole position, and has only been beaten in one session this weekend, when Sam Lowes set the fastest time in Warm Up.
Lowes himself will start fifth after the Superpole Race. Next to Bulega on the front row will be the Bimota duo of Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes after they delivered the KB998's first double-podium in the Superpole Race.
Yari Montella will start fourth this afternoon after suffering more than the other front runners with the light rainfall in the 10-lapper that saw him drop from the lead to off the podium.
Miguel Oliveira will come from the back of the grid after not setting a time in Superpole, and having suffered a technical problem in the Superpole Race that saw him drop from ninth to 18th on the last lap earlier today. The Portuguese got up to eighth over 22 laps yesterday, and will need a third strong recovery this afternoon to salvage his weekend.
We have our expected quota of 21 riders due to line up for Race 2 despite a big crash at turn three for Xavi Vierge yesterday. The Spaniard was taken to the medical centre after the crash but was declared fit. He was 19th-fastest in Warm Up this morning and missed the Superpole Race for a technical issue that prevented him from getting to the grid.
Bulega leads the opening lap from Bassani. Bulega opened a lead of around a second over Lowes, and Bassani was in no mood to wait around for his teammate, passing him late at turn 10.
Lowes back to fifth now as his brother moved through at turn one.
Rato is down at turn four.
It's lights out in Phillip Island and we are underway for a wet Race 2.
Bulega takes the early lead ahead of Alex Lowes, Montella up to third ahead of Bassani, and Bautista up to fifth from seventh.
Riders are off on their warm-up lap ahead of Race 2.
The safety car has just pulled off to mark 5 minutes until race start, and conditions definitely seem to be worsening. Wind still high as well.
The rain is continuing to fall at the minute, if anything it seems harder now than it did when pit lane opened 11 minutes ago, so it seems like full wets will be the only realistic call here.
Bulega has been clearly the fastest rider this weekend, as proven by his pole position and two dominant race wins.
Rain, therefore, is not a part of the Italian's wishlist for this Race 2.
Surely the door is as open as it's ever likely to be for his opposition to beat him here, a circuit he's won at in each of his last starts.
Worth remembering, though, that he was running second in the wet Superpole Race at Assen last year when his bike stopped, so it's not like Bulega is hopeless in the wet. A tyre choice error like last year's Balaton Superpole Race, though, would be unwelcome for Bulega.
With the wind picked up, if the rain holds off the tyre choice will be quite interesting. Obviously, a drying track will invite a flag-to-flag situation.
Pit lane has opened at Phillip Island and the riders are off on their sighting lap ahead of Race 2.
Everyone on full wets by the looks of it.
Conditions have worsened since the Superpole Race. The wind has picked up, the air temperature is now 23C, and the cloud cover has thickened meaning an increased chance of rain and a track temperature of 23C. Track is wet and looks to be under a bit of a misty drizzle.
Welcome back to live coverage of the Australian WorldSBK from Phillip Island, where Race 2 will be getting underway in just under 30 minutes at 16:00 local time.
Nicolo Bulega reckons it "was not easy" for him to maintain his confidence in the first part of the Superpole Race due to the light rainfall around the track.
The Italian went on to deliver his second victory from two races this weekend by almost three seconds over the two Bimota riders.
Full story here.
2026 Australian WorldSBK - Superpole Race Result
It's two from two for Bulega, victorious in the Superpole Race in Phillip Island.
Bassani takes his first Bimota podium in second ahead of Alex Lowes, who just holds on from Montella.
Sam Lowes completes the top-five, then its Gerloff, Bautista, Baldassarri, and Lecuona who complete the top-nine.
Not sure what happened to Oliveira but he dropped from ninth to 18th on the final lap.
Bassani has cleared off from his teammate, who is under increasing pressure from Montella.
Gerloff still in that podium battle as well but Bautista is probably going to run out of time to get there.
Bulega now over a second clear at the front, he has this under control with two to go.
Podium battle is still on between Bassani, Alex Lowes, Montella, and Sam Lowes.
Further back, Oliveira has made it from the back of the grid into the top-nine.
Bulega making a bit of difference now, fastest lap of the race that time and 0.3s better than Bassani who is now 0.6s behind.
Bautista making progress: P7 and closing on Gerloff by 0.5s on the last lap.
After passing Sam Lowes at turn four, Alex Lowes is up to third at turn 10.
Montella tries to re-pass at turn one but runs off-track, rejoins in front of Sam Lowes.
Alex Lowes back past his brother at turn four for fourth place. Both being held up by Montella now, who seems to be the one most affected by the rain drops for now.
Bassani up to second, past Montella, now. Montella under pressure from Sam Lowes, too.
Bulega leading but not with a big margin.
Some rain drops on camera lenses now...
Turn 10 pass for Bulega on Montella gets him the lead before the end of the fourth lap.
Bassani passes his teammate at turn one, then Sam Lowes moves through on his brother at turn two so Alex Lowes back to fifth now.
Montella continues to lead, 0.4s over the line over Lowes, but Bulega again makes the move into turn one, this time on Alex Lowes. Only Montella ahead of him now.
Montella continues to lead, Bulega passes Sam Lowes into turn one and Bassani follows him through. Gerloff right in that battle, too, then a gap back to Baldassarri.
Montella leads the opening lap ahead of Alex Lowes, Sam Lowes, Bulega, and Bassani. Then it's Gerloff and Baldassarri.