Jerez WorldSBK LIVE: Reaction after Nicolo Bulega won Race 1 in Spain

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.