Live updates from the Superpole Race at the 2026 UK WorldSBK at Donington Park. The Superpole Race is due to start at 11:10, with Race 2 coming up this afternoon at 15:30.
Iker Lecuona comes into today having won his first WorldSBK race in Race 1 yesterday, ending a run of 18 consecutive second places. Lecuona said afterwards that he found Donington "horrible" on the Honda he rode until last year, but he was able to be more effective in the final sector than Nicolo Bulega yesterday.
Bulega agreed with this assessment of the first race and said he needed to improve his electronics setup for Sunday's races, although he felt it was "not the end of the world" to finish second - 115 points still separate him from Lecuona in the riders' standings and he starts on pole position today.
Yari Montella was third yesterday for the fifth time in a row. The Italian joked afterwards that he needs to buy a car, so the podium bonuses are required to pay for it.
There was also a "special" result for Tommy Bridewell in fifth place, despite his tyre slipping by "180 degrees" on the rim, causing huge amounts of vibration even in a straight line.
Alex Lowes was the leading non-Ducati rider on the grid yesterday, but only seventh. Alvaro Bautista was the only Ducati rider not to finish in the top-10.
There are two riders absent for today's race, as Tarran Mackenzie and Alberto Surra are both out with injuries. Mackenzie sustained his in FP2 on Friday, while Surra's symptoms only emerged after FP3 yesterday morning.
It's victory for Nicolo Bulega in the UK WorldSBK Superpole Race. The Italian takes more points out of Lecuona in a single race than he has since Australia.
Montella takes second and Sam Lowes completes an all-Ducati podium.
Alex Lowes holds onto fourth despite a late attack from Bassani.
Baldassarri, Bridewell, Vierge, and Gerloff take the final points positions. Jonathan Rea completes the top-10.
Montella now more or less equidistant between Bulega and Lowes with a second in front of and behind him.
In the battle for fourth, Alex Lowes continues to hold on for now, but Vierge has dropped back behind Bassani and now Baldassarri as well.
Lecuona has entered the pits to retire. That's his first DNF of the season.
Bulega leads by over a second now. Sam Lowes had been closing in on Montella, but the Italian has got the gap back out to 0.7s at the end of lap seven.
Alex Lowes still holding onto fourth ahead of Vierge and Bassani.
Bulega leads after a pass on Montella at the penultimate turn on lap five.
Sam Lowes running in third, a second off the lead and a second ahead of Alex Lowes who is battling with Xavi Vierge for fourth.
Lecuona had almost a second at the end of lap two, but he's gone down at the final corner. He's remounted but it way out the back.
Montella leads for the first time, with Bulega breathing down his neck.
It's lights out at Donington for the WorldSBK Superpole Race, and it's another slack jump from Bulega, allowing Lecuona into the lead. Montella gets into second, too, so Bulega back to third early on.
Riders are off on their warm-up lap ahead of this 10-lap Superpole Race.
Here is your starting order for the Superpole Race, based on yesterday's Superpole results.
| 1 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.it Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 2 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Aruba.it Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 3 | Yari Montella | ITA | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 4 | Sam Lowes | GBR | Marc VDS Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 5 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 6 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | Team Go Eleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 7 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota KB998 |
| 8 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota KB998 |
| 9 | Tommy Bridewell | GBR | Superbike Advocates Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 10 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| 11 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Kawasaki WorldSBK Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| 12 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | ROKiT BMW Motorrad | BMW M1000 RR |
| 13 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | ROKiT BMW Motorrad | BMW M1000 RR |
| 14 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 15 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 16 | Somkiat Chantra | THA | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| 17 | Jake Dixon | GBR | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| 18 | Bahattin Sofuoglu | TUR | Motoxracing Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 19 | Stefano Manzi | ITA | GYTR GRT Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 20 | Mattia Rato | ITA | Motoxracing Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 21 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
It's the coolest morning we've had so far this weekend today. Currently looking at 23C air temperature and 34C track temperature, so still reasonably warm.
Just over five minutes now until the start of the Warm Up lap.
15 minutes out from the start of the Superpole Race at Donington and the riders are heading out of pit lane on their sighting lap.
Yari Montella has amassed nine podiums this season after his third place yesterday, which was also his fifth in succession.
The Italian joked after Race 1 that he needs the bonuses to buy a car!
Full story here.
Tommy Bridewell's P5 in Race 1 matched his best ever WorldSBK result, but it came despite an unusual tyre issue.
The British rider explained afterwards that it was caused by a particular element of his riding technique that is harder to change at Donington than at other tracks on the WorldSBK calendar.
Full story here.
Welcome to live coverage of today's races from the UK WorldSBK.
The Superpole Race is due to start in just over 35 minutes at 11:10 local time.