2026 Estoril WorldSBK Results, Race 1: Bulega back to winning ways

Results from Race 1 at the 2026 Estoril WorldSBK, the first race of three at what is the penultimate round of the season.

Nicolo Bulega took victory in Race 1 at the Estoril WorldSBK. The Italian dropped back from pole position at the start as Iker Lecuona got aggressive on the brakes at the first corner which opened the door for Alex Lowes to take second, but two moves on consecutive laps at turn one saw Bulega back in the lead by the beginning of lap three. 

From there, Bulega accelerated away, winning by almost four seconds for his 27th win of the season, equalling the record set by Alvaro Bautista in 2023.

Lecuona took second, almost six seconds ahead of Alberto Surra, for whom third place markeda first long race podium, following on from his first podium of any kind in the Superpole Race at Cremona two weeks ago.

Miguel Oliveira spent most of the race unable to chase down Surra, while Alex Lowes was unable to close down the Portuguese after being passed for fourth early on.

Lowes took fifth, ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri who survived early contact with Yari Montella to finish sixth.

Montella took eighth place, behind Axel Bassani. The Barni Ducati rider dropped to 12th after the contact with Baldassarri, in which Montella tried to pass his compatriot on the inside of turn three when the GoEleven man ran a bit wider mid-corner. When they touched as their lines converged at the second apex, Montella sat up but just about stayed on. He lost a wing, but was able to keep going, and by finishing eighth he lost only three points to Alex Lowes in the battle for third in the championship.

Behind Montella, Alvaro Bautista and Garrett Gerloff completed the top-10. 

Stefano Manzi finished over a minute off the win, but had been battling inside the points when he fell on the penultimate lap before remounting. He was the only crasher.

Full WorldSBK results from Race 1 at Estoril are below.