WorldSBK 2026

Round 12 – Jerez – Friday

WorldSBK – Bulega heads Ducati-dominated Friday at Jerez

Newly crowned World Superbike Champion Nicolò Bulega opened his final WorldSBK weekend by topping both Friday practice sessions at Jerez, leaving Ducati occupying the first five positions on the combined timesheets.

The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider recorded a 1’38.155 during the cooler morning session, putting him 0.252 seconds clear of Sam Lowes on the Marc VDS Ducati. Bulega’s team-mate Iker Lecuona completed the top three, another eight-hundredths behind, making it a Ducati clean sweep at the head of the field.

Bulega, who won all three races at Jerez last year, completed 38 laps across the two sessions and appeared comfortable from the outset. His pace was particularly impressive during his opening run in FP1, when he was quicker than the rest of the field on seven of his first ten laps.

The afternoon brought considerably higher track temperatures, reducing the available grip and making improvements difficult. Bulega was still fastest in FP2 with a 1’38.309, but like most of those at the front, his morning benchmark remained his best lap of the day.

Bulega reported that the circuit was still relatively dirty, with insufficient rubber laid down to provide consistent grip. He also had the unusual experience of being stung on the neck by a bee during FP2, although that did little to diminish his performance.

Nicolò Bulega

“What really matters is that I had a good feeling on the bike.”

Sam Lowes was second in both sessions, a particularly encouraging turnaround after a difficult Estoril round. The British rider reported some unexpected issues with the bike and braking system that interrupted his rhythm, but nevertheless suggested that he had more pace available than his best lap indicated.

Lecuona was less satisfied despite finishing third. The Spaniard admitted that Jerez has never been one of his preferred circuits and complained of inconsistent grip and rapid tyre degradation, leaving the factory Ducati crew with work to do ahead of Saturday.

Montella and Surra lead the Ducati pursuit

Yari Montella continued his impressive season by finishing fourth for Barni Spark Racing with a 1’38.521, just 0.366 seconds behind Bulega. The Italian holds a 53-point advantage over Alex Lowes in the battle for third in the championship, making a strong opening race potentially decisive in securing that position.

Montella and the Barni crew concentrated heavily on race-distance performance, testing solutions that included the Suter swingarm and assessing the behaviour of the Ducati on used tyres.

Alberto Surra was another Ducati rider to impress. Following his remarkable three-podium performance at Estoril, the WorldSBK rookie carried that momentum into Jerez, finishing fifth overall with a 1’38.597 on the Motocorsa Racing Panigale V4 R.

Surra was again among the quickest riders during FP2, suggesting his recent breakthrough was more than simply a product of the unusual circumstances encountered at Estoril.

Lorenzo Baldassarri made it six Ducatis in the first seven positions, qualifying seventh on Friday’s combined practice classification with a 1’38.681. The Team GoEleven rider, whose contract extension for 2027 was confirmed ahead of the weekend, reported encouraging long-run pace after the team made adjustments to the rear geometry of his Panigale.

Team GoEleven observed that tyre performance could fall away significantly within the first three or four laps before stabilising. Baldassarri completed a run of 15 consecutive laps during FP2, largely maintaining a pace in the mid-to-high 1’39s, which could prove more significant in the races than his position on the single-lap timesheets.

Álvaro Bautista was eleventh on the second Barni Ducati after struggling initially with corner entry. Set-up adjustments brought improved consistency during the afternoon, but the Spaniard subsequently crashed at Turn Nine. He was uninjured and remained encouraged by his race pace.

Bimota leads the challengers as BMW works to find pace

Alex Lowes was the leading non-Ducati rider in sixth, putting the bimota KB998 Rimini within 0.470 seconds of Bulega. Team-mate Axel Bassani was eighth, giving bimota two riders inside the top ten.

Both riders were relatively positive about the outright speed of their machines, although they acknowledged that maintaining competitive performance as the rear tyre deteriorated would be a major challenge.

Miguel Oliveira was the fastest BMW representative in ninth, his best time of 1’38.903 coming during FP2. The Portuguese rider was among the relatively small number able to improve their overall position in the hotter afternoon conditions.

Danilo Petrucci finished fourteenth on the second factory BMW, recording a 1’39.504. It was another challenging afternoon for the German manufacturer’s WorldSBK effort, with neither rider able to match the outright speed of the leading Ducatis.

Garrett Gerloff finished twelfth for the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team after finding an improvement during FP2. The American lowered his benchmark to 1’39.261, completing a total of 42 laps across the two sessions.

Tommy Bridewell finished thirteenth aboard the Ducati of Australian-owned Superbike Advocates, while Loris Baz was sixteenth for MGM Optical Express Racing, just three-thousandths behind fifteenth-placed Jake Dixon.

Gardner and Yamaha face an uphill battle

Xavi Vierge led the Yamaha contingent in tenth with a 1’38.970, but the remaining R1 riders were considerably further down the classification.

Australia’s Remy Gardner was eighteenth with a 1’39.836, having spent much of Friday concentrating on longer runs and assessing tyre performance over race distance. His GYTR GRT Yamaha team-mate Stefano Manzi finished 21st, while Andrea Locatelli endured a difficult day on the second Pata Maxus Yamaha, ending up twentieth after technical issues restricted his afternoon running.

Gardner acknowledged that the heat had made the search for additional performance difficult, but remained hopeful that the data collected over longer runs would help the team find a better race set-up.

Remy Gardner

“Our main focus was on race distance rather than outright lap times.”

Honda HRC also had a frustrating opening day. Dixon suffered a heavy crash at Turn Nine during FP2, bringing out the red flags while marshals attended to the track. Although uninjured, the British rider was unable to return to the circuit and finished fifteenth overall, while team-mate Somkiat Chantra ended the day seventeenth.

With little separating several riders outside the leading group, Saturday morning’s Superpole will be important in establishing grid positions. However, the greater question may be how well the tyres survive over the 20-lap race distance, especially if the high temperatures continue.

There is also the prospect of changing weather for Sunday’s final two races, potentially adding another complication to what has otherwise been a Ducati-dominated opening day.

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WorldSBK Combined FP1/FP2 Results

WorldSSP

WorldSSP – Arenas demolishes lap record as Navarro puts Triumph on front row

Albert Arenas might already have the World Supersport Championship safely in his keeping, but the Spaniard showed little inclination to ease off during Friday’s final Superpole session of the season at Jerez.

The AS BLU CRU Racing Yamaha rider secured his third pole position of 2026 with a stunning 1’41.084, taking almost seven-tenths off the previous outright circuit record of 1’41.775 established by Randy Krummenacher in 2019.

For Arenas, who secured the championship at Estoril last weekend despite being denied a podium finish by technical problems, it was an emphatic demonstration of the speed that has underpinned his title-winning rookie season.

Arenas had already established himself at the front during the early part of Superpole, but continued attacking the circuit as conditions allowed, eventually recording a lap that left his closest challenger more than three-tenths behind.

His delight was evident afterwards, particularly following the technical issues that had hampered his final race at Estoril. With the championship secured, the pressure may be off, but Arenas made it clear that a home victory remains a significant ambition.

Albert Arenas

“Tomorrow I’ll do my best to fight for the podium but of course it would be nice to win at home.”

Navarro makes the most of Bayliss absence

Jorge Navarro was the surprise challenger to Arenas, qualifying second aboard the PTR Triumph Factory Racing Street Triple 765 RS.

The Spaniard is standing in for Australian Oli Bayliss, who is contesting the British Superbike finale this weekend. Navarro has considerable experience aboard the Triumph, and that familiarity was evident as he briefly led the qualifying session before suffering a crash at Turn Six.

The interruption did not prevent him from securing a front-row start, his eventual 1’41.435 leaving him just 0.351 seconds behind Arenas.

Navarro was particularly competitive through the second and fourth sectors, suggesting that the Triumph may be well suited to several of Jerez’s more demanding sections. It was an encouraging performance for PTR, which also had Tom Booth-Amos qualifying seventh on the second factory-supported Triumph.

Can Öncü completed the front row on the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing R9, just 0.027 seconds behind Navarro. It was the Turkish rider’s seventh front-row qualification of the season, and another important result as he attempts to secure third in the championship.

That battle took a significant turn before Superpole when Jaume Masià was ruled unfit for the remainder of the weekend. The Orelac Racing Ducati rider had arrived at Jerez just five points behind Öncü in the standings, but was unable to participate in qualifying after taking part in Friday morning’s free practice session.

Four manufacturers inside the top six

Dominique Aegerter continued his improving late-season form to qualify fourth aboard the Kawasaki ZX-6R 636. The two-time WorldSSP Champion recorded a 1’41.476, just fourteen-thousandths behind Öncü and comfortably his strongest qualifying performance for some time.

His Kawasaki team-mate Jeremy Alcoba was fifth, just under a tenth further back, giving the Japanese manufacturer two representatives in the second row.

Mattia Casadei completed that row in sixth aboard the D34G Racing Ducati Panigale V2. Casadei had claimed pole at Jerez in 2025, and although unable to repeat that performance, his 1’41.626 was enough to put four different manufacturers among the first six qualifiers.

Booth-Amos headed row three in seventh, followed by Matteo Ferrari on the WRP Racing Ducati and Alessandro Zaccone on the Ecosantagata Althea Racing Ducati. Simon Jespersen completed the top ten for EAB Racing.

Valentin Debise experienced technical difficulties aboard the ZXMOTO 820RR and qualified twelfth, while Lucas Mahias was eleventh on the GMT94 Yamaha.

Roberto Garcia, declared fit to ride after his incident at Estoril, qualified seventeenth on the second GMT94 Yamaha, while Philipp Öttl was nineteenth on the Feel Racing Ducati.

With the championship already settled, Saturday’s 17-lap race is primarily about individual honours and the remaining championship positions. Arenas has the outright advantage, but Navarro, Öncü and the Kawasaki pairing appear close enough to make the fight for the remaining podium places particularly competitive.

WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

 

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WorldSPB

WorldSPB – Thompson secures front row as Salvador takes command

Australia’s Carter Thompson continued his impressive late-season form by qualifying second for the final round of the inaugural FIM Sportbike World Championship at Jerez.

Fresh from his maiden World Championship victory at Cremona, Thompson put the Team BrCorse Yamaha YZF-R7 on the front row for the second consecutive round, recording a 1’46.503 during Friday’s Superpole session.

Only championship leader David Salvador could go faster, producing an exceptional 1’45.802 aboard the Team ProDina Kawasaki ZX-6R 636 to secure his fifth pole position in eight qualifying sessions this season.

Salvador’s lap was a substantial seven-tenths quicker than Thompson’s best effort, and more than a second ahead of his closest championship challenger, Xavi Artigas, who will complete the front row in third on the MTM Kawasaki.

Thompson’s performance is particularly important given the tight battle for third in the standings. The Australian arrived at Jerez holding just a one-point advantage over Antonio Torres, with that position now very much up for grabs across the final two races.

Torres qualified sixth on the second ProDina Kawasaki, putting Thompson three positions ahead of his championship rival on the grid. With points available in both races, the battle between the two could remain alive until Sunday’s season finale.

There were encouraging signs for the Team BrCorse Yamaha operation more broadly, with Thompson’s team-mate Marco Gaggi qualifying fifth, equalling his strongest Superpole performance of the season.

Juan Risueño was fourth on the Pons Motorsport Kawasaki, improving his qualifying form at his home round. Gaggi and Torres completed the second row, while Matteo Vannucci on the Revo-M2 Aprilia headed the third row.

Salvador closing in on inaugural WorldSPB crown

While Thompson is fighting for the championship bronze medal, the major title battle remains between Spaniards Salvador and Artigas.

Salvador takes a 12-point advantage into Saturday’s opening 11-lap race, with 50 points still available across the weekend.

The mathematics are relatively straightforward. Salvador can secure the inaugural World Sportbike crown on Saturday if he outscores Artigas by at least 14 points. Otherwise, the title battle will continue into Sunday’s final race.

On the evidence of Friday’s qualifying, Salvador has a considerable pace advantage, although Artigas has demonstrated throughout the season that he can be a formidable opponent once the racing begins.

Salvador was understandably pleased with his performance, but insisted that he did not want to become preoccupied with the championship calculations.

David Salvador

“This will be my last race with ProDina and also my last race in Sportbike, so I want to enjoy this weekend a lot.”

Aksu thirteenth as qualifying interrupted by crashes

Australia’s other World Sportbike representative, Taiyo Aksu, qualified thirteenth aboard the PATA AG Motorsport Italia Honda CBR600RR.

Aksu recorded a 1’47.880, placing him on the fifth row of the grid, only 0.190 seconds behind Fenton Seabright in twelfth and six-thousandths ahead of Matteo Gennai in fourteenth.

Friday’s Superpole was interrupted by an early red flag following a collision involving Seabright and Dutch rider Jurrien van Crugten.

Seabright suffered a technical problem that caused his PHR Performance Triumph Daytona 660 to slow unexpectedly between Turns One and Two. Van Crugten, who was following closely, struck the rear of the slowing Triumph and crashed.

The Dutch rider was taken to the medical centre, where he was diagnosed with deep abrasions to the fourth and fifth fingers of his left hand. His fitness to continue will be reassessed following Saturday morning’s warm-up session.

Seabright subsequently suffered another crash at Turn Nine during the closing stages of qualifying, bringing out yellow flags. He nevertheless secured twelfth on the grid.

The British rider’s PHR Performance Triumph team-mate Harrison Dessoy qualified 22nd, making it a relatively difficult Friday for the factory-supported Daytona 660 squad.

The team did, however, have some positive news away from the circuit, confirming that both Seabright and Dessoy will remain with Peter Hickman’s PHR Performance outfit for the 2027 World Sportbike season.

Both riders have claimed podium finishes during the championship’s inaugural season, with Seabright taking a breakthrough victory at Magny-Cours. The team will enter 2027 with continuity in its rider line-up, although the championship’s switch to Michelin tyres will present a new technical challenge.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s opening race, where Salvador will have the opportunity to claim the title, Artigas will attempt to keep his championship hopes alive, and Thompson will be looking to convert another excellent qualifying performance into a result that strengthens his grip on third overall.

WorldSPB Tissot Superpole

WorldWCR

WorldWCR – Ramos on record pace as Herrera closes on second title

Paola Ramos threw down the gauntlet to the WorldWCR championship contenders at Jerez on Friday, claiming pole position with a record-breaking lap as the Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship returned for its final round of 2026.

The Spanish rider was fastest during morning practice and maintained that advantage throughout the afternoon’s 25-minute Superpole session, eventually recording a 1’50.911 aboard the Klint Racing Yamaha YZF-R7.

That established a new outright Jerez benchmark and secured her second pole position of the season, leaving defending champion Maria Herrera 0.613 seconds behind in second place.

Ramos initially took control of qualifying with a 1’51.163 during the first half of the session, before lowering the benchmark still further. Her eventual advantage was the second-largest pole position margin in WorldWCR history.

Ramos, who won at Jerez in 2025, was understandably delighted with her performance on home soil, although she acknowledged that converting such a qualifying advantage into a race victory could prove considerably more complicated.

The close racing typical of the single-make Yamaha R7 championship often produces large groups battling for position, making it difficult for even the fastest qualifier to establish a decisive advantage.

Paola Ramos

“I will try to build a gap, but it all depends on the size of the group, on the wind, many things.”

Herrera on the brink of another World Championship

While Ramos dominated the outright timesheets, the major championship implications revolved around Herrera and her closest rival, Beatriz Neila.

Herrera arrived at Jerez holding a commanding 44-point championship lead over Neila, with only 50 points still available across the weekend’s two races.

The defending champion took a measured approach to Friday morning’s practice, running a used tyre before switching to fresh rubber for Superpole. That helped improve her confidence and allowed her to deliver a 1’51.524 in the closing stages, moving her into second place with around 90 seconds remaining.

Neila responded with a 1’51.677 to qualify third for Ampito Crescent Yamaha, completing an all-Spanish front row for Saturday’s opening race.

The championship calculations leave Herrera in a particularly strong position. She can secure a second consecutive WorldWCR title on Saturday if she scores at least six points, regardless of what Neila achieves. Alternatively, she can clinch the crown if she loses no more than 19 points to her rival.

That places enormous pressure on Neila, who realistically requires a race victory combined with a major setback for Herrera to carry the championship fight into Sunday’s final race.

Herrera appeared relatively relaxed about the situation on Friday, suggesting that her main objective would be to follow Ramos in the early stages and see whether the pair could establish a breakaway from the chasing group.

Relph qualifies sixth as Australians and Kiwi complete Jerez grid

Australian Tayla Relph enjoyed a solid opening day aboard her Full Throttle Racing Yamaha, securing sixth place in Superpole and a second-row starting position for Saturday’s opening 11-lap race.

Relph gradually improved throughout the session, eventually recording a 1’51.971. That put her just 0.035 seconds behind fifth-placed Roberta Ponziani and 1.060 seconds away from Ramos’ record-breaking pole lap.

It was an encouraging result for the Australian, who has regularly demonstrated the ability to run with the leading group and will be looking to convert another competitive qualifying effort into a strong race finish.

Natalia Rivera achieved her best WorldWCR Superpole result to date with fourth aboard the second Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha, moving ahead of Ponziani during the closing stages.

Mexico’s Astrid Madrigal qualified seventh, matching her best qualifying result of the season, followed by Thailand’s Muklada Sarapuech and France’s Line Vieillard, who also achieved her strongest Superpole performance of the year.

Sara Sánchez completed the top ten, while Britain’s Chloe Jones, riding for Monster Energy Crescent Yamaha, qualified eleventh after working through the morning session to rebuild her confidence and familiarity with the circuit.

New Zealand’s Avalon Lewis, competing as a one-event entrant for Carl Cox Motorsport, qualified twentieth. Colombian entrant Sara Varón rounded out her opening day in 22nd.

The Jerez finale marks the championship’s return to action following a lengthy break since Donington Park in July. With both races still to run, Herrera is within reach of her second title, but Friday’s qualifying suggests Ramos may be the rider the rest of the field must beat for outright honours.

For Relph, the second-row starting position presents another opportunity to fight among the leading group, while the championship battle between Herrera and Neila could add an additional layer of unpredictability to Saturday’s opening race.

WorldWCR Tissot Superpole

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