Bulega makes history at Phillip Island and reveals: "I was angry before Race 2"

Bulega above everyone even in the wet, hat-trick of wins in Australia and the lead in the 2026 WorldSBK: will the whole year be like this?

The rain could theoretically have been a stumbling block to Nicolò Bulega’s dominance at Phillip Island, but not even that managed to stop him from winning Race 2 by a margin and completing the treble at this first Superbike round of the 2026 calendar. The weekend’s triumphs bring him to a total of 23, making him the most successful Italian rider in the history of the category.

On Saturday he drew level with Max Biaggi by taking victory in Race 1, on Sunday morning he matched Marco Melandri by winning the Superpole Race and then pulled ahead in the final feature race. A great satisfaction for the 26-year-old from Emilia, who this year dreams of being crowned WorldSBK champion. His path to the world crown has started in the best possible way.

At the end of Race 2, the Aruba Ducati rider recounted how he experienced the round in Australia, especially this day that could have caused him some trouble: "A fantastic weekend. In the Superpole Race it had started to rain a bit and it was a bit difficult, so you had to be very careful with the tires. But in the end I won, I had a lot of fun. Before Race 2 I was angry, because I had a good feeling and good pace in dry conditions, and I saw it had started to rain. I tried to turn that anger into positive energy to win in the wet as well. I had good sensations right from the start, but it was tough. After a few laps the track was a bit slippery, but I managed it well and took the win."

At the start of the Superpole Race he lost a few positions, however he then managed to retake the lead and the 12 points: "Honestly, Bulega explains, "I didn’t have great feedback from the bike, but after a few laps I started to understand how to ride in different conditions and to overtake my rivals."

Should his rivals be worried after the first Superbike weekend of 2026? The rider from Emilia believes the pecking order will be a bit different in the upcoming rounds of the championship and that someone will be able to push him harder: "No, I think Phillip Island is my favorite track and my goal was to win. I’ll try again in the next races, but surely there will be riders who will improve a lot." We’ll see if that’s the case.

Bulega also said he was satisfied to have surpassed Biaggi and Melandri in a weekend full of positive emotions: "I’m really happy, especially to be the Italian with the most wins. This makes me very proud and now I want to try to add more victories. I’m confident for Portimão; it’s another track I really like. Last year I fought with Toprak until the last lap in all three races; I think I can be fast there too."