Nicolo Bulega “very motivated” ahead of Estoril WorldSBK

After a double-win on Sunday at Aragon, Nicolo Bulega is looking to further reduce his deficit to Toprak Razgatlioglu in the WorldSBK points at Estoril this weekend (10–12 October).

Bulega won his two Aragon races on Sunday at MotorLand in much different styles, beating Razgatlioglu in the final corner in the Superpole Race, and winning by several seconds in Race 2 after being given the chance to impose his pace in the final third of the 18-lapper.

Even with his two Sunday wins, though, Bulega only reduced his deficit to Razgatlioglu in Aragon by three points. 

Now sitting at 36, he must not lose more than 25 points to Razgatlioglu this weekend in order to keep the title battle alive heading to Jerez next week.

Three podiums will do, then, for Bulega in terms of getting the title battle to Jerez, which seems doable for the Italian whose only non-podium finish this year came in the Hungary Superpole Race when he finished 13th after choosing an intermediate rear tyre which ultimately didn’t suit the damp-but-drying conditions.

“We are coming [to Estoril] after Aragon that was a good weekend for us, so we are very motivated to try to stay in the front also here in Estoril,” Nicolo Bulega told WorldSBK.com ahead of the Estoril Round.

“Then, we will see during the weekend.”

Bulega was victorious in the Superpole Race in Estoril during last year's World Superbike round there, a race that Razgatlioglu says he has not forgotten having been beaten out of the final corner, but the Italian indicated that he hopes to be much stronger in Portugal 12 months on.

“Honestly, last year was good but not extremely good because I did second two times, I won the Superpole Race, but also it was my first year so I was still learning a lot of things,” he said.

“Now, I feel more ready and more comfortable on my bike so I will try to be faster than last year.”

Reflecting more specifically on his Superpole Race win last year, Bulega added that it was a race which gave him more confidence for the season finale in Jerez.

“I just remember that Toprak [Razgatlioglu] had a very strong pace and I was trying to follow him,” he said.

“But I was faster than him just in the last two corners and I was repeating in my mind: ‘You have to try to stay with him and just try to beat him in the last corner because it’s the only point where you can beat him’. 

“So, my plan was this: try to exit better the last corner; and it worked, so it was very good.

“Then it gave me confidence for the round after, in Jerez, last year, so it was very important for me.”