By WorldSBK
DESPITE being followed by ‘El Turco’ for their respective hot laps, Bulega was able to claim pole position for the second time in Australia.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) continued to be the rider to beat during the Australian Round as the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season’s first competitive session ended with the #11 on pole. He was just under a tenth ahead of rival Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) after the reigning Champion followed last year’s title runner up on track to set his hot lap during Tissot Superpole at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
THE FIRST RUN: Montella leads ahead of red flag
Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) crashed at Turn 9 with 11 minutes remaining in Superpole on his first flying lap which briefly brought out the red flags, with the #7 taken to the medical centre for a check-up, later diagnosed with a fractured fourth metatarsal in his left foot, leaving Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) leading the timesheets with a 1’30.232s. Several pole favourites hadn’t been able to set a lap time, including Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) who had topped every session leading into Superpole.
AFTER THE RED FLAG: Bulega on pole after towing Razgatlioglu
When the session resumed, Bulega jumped into P1 with a 1’29.058s; a slower time than he’d managed in Free Practice before he improved to a 1’28.824s. Sending an ominious warning shot to his rivals, ‘Bulegas’ set his pole time using a used SC1 tyre; the harder of the two solutions available to the riders. On that lap, he was followed by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who used the tow from the #11 to move into second, and just 0.094s behind the Ducati star, with a 1’28.918s; only the second rider to break into the 1’28s bracket this weekend as the #1 used the SC0 tyre. Neither were able to improve their lap times further as they secured the first two places on the grid, with Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) securing a front row start to take third place with a 1’29.266s. Bulega’s pole position was the 46th for an Italian rider in WorldSBK.
SECOND ROW START: Superpole improvements for Bautista, Redding impresses with P6
Iannone’s lap demoted Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) into fourth place with a 1’29.520s securing the #19’s place at the head of the second row; a big improvement from 2024 when he was ninth on the grid. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) will line up alongside the double Champion as he took fifth place while Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) will start from the second row after finding big improvements throughout Saturday’s running.
NOTHING TO SEPARATE THE THIRD ROW: Close in WorldSBK this season
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) put both BMWs in the top seven by claiming P7 to lead away the third row, leading a duo of Yamaha riders. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) were closely matched in Superpole in eighth and ninth, with just half-a-tenth separating the pair as they also secured third row starts for the Yamaha R1 machine. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) completes the top ten as the lead Bimota rider.
ROOKIE SHINES: Montella just over a second from pole
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) just missed out on a top ten start by just 0.011s after twin brother Alex got the better of him. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) secured 12th place ahead of the first of the four rookies on the grid. Montella claimed 13th place with a 1’29.962s and, although he was 1.138s away from pole, he was just seven tenths away from a front row start during a close session. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was 14th with Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) completing the top 15.
The top six from WorldSBK Superpole:
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’28.824s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.094s
3. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) +0.442s
4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.696s
5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.833s
6. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) +0.855s
