15:02
Lap 19/20
Bulega leads by 2s going onto the final lap. Lowes probably safe in second with 1.4s back to Lecuona.
Bautista 2.4s back of his compatriot and now a second clear of Montella.
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 Spanish WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
LIVE
Jerez WorldSBK LIVE: Reaction after Nicolo Bulega won Race 1 in Spain
Live coverage of Race 1 at the 2026 Jerez WorldSBK, the final round of the 2026 season.
Live updates from Race 1 at the 2026 Spanish WorldSBK at Jerez, which is set to start at 15:30 after Nicolo Bulega took pole position in Superpole this morning.
Key Moments
- Bulega wins Race 1 as Lecuona beaten to second by Lowes
- Montella pressures Lecuona for third as Sam Lowes escapes
- Fiery exit for Vierge
- Bulega leads Race 1 early on as Sam Lowes starts well
- Bulega takes Jerez pole ahead of Lowes, Lecuona
- Sam Lowes becomes the second rider to lap in the 1m36s
- Bulega into the 1m36s with his first lap, almost 0.5s clear of the field
Nicolo Bulega came into Saturday having topped both practices on Friday at Jerez. The Italian was comfortably the fastest in both sessions yesterday, but he was beaten to top spot by Alex Lowes in FP3 this morning, although Bulega didn't use an SCQ tyre. When he did put the SCQ in for Superpole, he took his 11th pole of the season.
Iker Lecuona also opted to not use an SCQ tyre in FP3, but he finished all the way down in 17th, over a second slower than his team-mate. Lecuona had already written off his victory chances yesterday, and admitted Bulega is "in a different world" after qualifying third and over 0.4 seconds behind this morning.
Sam Lowes was in good spirits yesterday after finishing second in both practices. He won here twice in Moto2 and typically runs well, but even he was relieved to see his lap time at the start of FP1 after struggling all weekend for front feeling in Estoril. The Marc VDS rider was able to back up his practice pace with second on the grid in Superpole.
With their futures uncertain, both Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci could be entering their final races in WorldSBK this afternoon. Petrucci confirmed this weekend that he has been approached by Attack Performance Yamaha about a move to MotoAmerica for 2027. The Italian will start 15th for Race 1, while Bautista qualified on the back of the third row in ninth.
17 Oct 2026
15:34
Standings
2026 spanish worldsbk - championship standings after race 1
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 Spanish WorldSBK, leaving pit box. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
15:09
Race 1 Result
2026 spanish worldsbk - race 1 result
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 Spanish WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
15:04
Bulega wins Race 1
It's victory for Nicolo Bulega in Race 1 at Jerez - his 50th in total and his 30th of the season.
Sam Lowes takes second, some ride for him to beat Lecuona - no one has beaten the Aruba Ducatis when they've both finished since Phillip Island.
Lecuona completes the podium ahead of Bautista. Montella, Surra, Baldassarri, Lowes, Bridewell, and Bassani who completes the top-10.
15:01
The amount of rear sliding going on for more or less everyone, even the Ducatis are pretty short of rear grip with two laps to go.
15:00
Bautista now 3s behind Lecuona, whose attention is back in front of him - he's closing on Sam Lowes and he's 1.5s behind.
15:00
Bautista up to fourth with an aggressive move on Montella at turn five. Very close to contact but Montella does pretty well to avoid it.
14:58
Lowes' descent to eighth is complete as Baldassarri makes the move at turn six on lap 17.
14:58
Montella has dropped almost 2s behind Lecuona now. Bautista also closing in on his team-mate, under a second between them. Still four to go.
14:55
And Surra makes that move, he's up to sixth at turn six on lap 15.
14:54
When Surra makes this move on Lowes, Baldassarri won't be long to be on the Bimota's rear wheel. Shame for Lowes, rides to the absolute limit of the package and he's going to be eighth.
14:52
Lowes' pace has dropped to the 1m40s and Surra has caught him for sixth. He's riding very well, almost 10 seconds clear of the next non-Ducati, which is his team-mate Bassani in 10th, but there's little to be done against the Ducatis.
14:49
Bautista up to fifth, he passes Alex Lowes at turn one. Lowes still has a second or so back to Surra.
14:47
Lecuona has stabilised the Montella situation for now, although he hasn't dropped him. 2.5s behind Lowes now.
Bulega 2s clear at the front and managing it, you feel, probably waiting to see Lecuona appear on his pit board.
14:46
Oliveira OUT
Miguel Oliveira has retired, he's parked the BMW in pit lane.
14:46
Bautista up to sixth, he passes Surra at turn one at the start of lap 10.
14:45
Fire has been put out on Vierge's bike but it's a fairly well singed Yamaha R1.
14:43
Vierge OUT
Vierge is out, he's pulled over at pit lane exit with fire coming from the bottom of the fairing.
14:42
Montella almost riding into the back of Lecuona at turn 11 he was so much faster.
He made the move then at turn 12, but Lecuona does him back on the brakes at the final corner.
Could well be seeing Lecuona off the podium here.
14:40
Sam Lowes riding very well at the moment. Lecuona more concerned by Montella at the moment than by going forwards - almost a second between second and third.
14:40
Bridewell had been the Ducati behind Alex Lowes, but he's dropped to ninth now behind Surra, Bautista, and Baldassarri.
14:37
Alex Lowes the only non-Ducati rider in the top-nine. Behind Baldassarri, there's 1.4 seconds to Bassani in 10th. Some ride so far from Lowes - still early, though.
14:34
Lap 2/20
Bulega's gap already approaching a second over Lowes. Lecuona not exactly crawling all over the Marc VDS rider yet, though.
14:33
Montella reclaims fourth at turn six. Lowes had lost a lot of time to Lecuona at the start of lap two.
14:32
Lap 1/20
Bulega leads but only a few tenths ahead of Sam Lowes, who has a softer front tyre.
Alex Lowes up to fourth at turn nine on that lap, passing Montella there.