SBK, Is Bulega Vulnerable at Balaton Park? "Maybe It's the Worst Track

This weekend Superbike stops in Hungary, with Bulega still the favorite and in a position to break a record he shares with Razgatlioglu: will he remain unbeatable?

Nicolò Bulega has been a cut above the rest in the first three rounds of the 2026 WorldSBK calendar, and it’s natural to think that the same scenario will unfold at Balaton Park. Many championship followers are hoping for closer battles, given that so far the Aruba Ducati rider’s wins have never really been in doubt. Not even the fuel flow cut applied to the Panigale V4 R starting from the Assen weekend has slowed him down.

The Superbike World Championship leader can’t say whether he’ll dominate again in Hungary, especially considering it won’t be on a track he particularly likes: "Maybe it’s not the best track for me, but last year I finished second, which isn’t a bad result. It will definitely be tougher, since it’s not one of my favorite tracks, maybe it’s the worst for my riding style. I’ll need to adapt and stay focused throughout the weekend, but I’ll give 100% as always."

With the hat-trick at Assen he reached thirteen consecutive SBK wins, equaling the record Toprak Razgatlioglu set in 2024 and matched in 2025. At Balaton Park he has a chance to beat it, but unlike the Turk he doesn’t seem too interested in statistics: "For me it’s not like it is for Toprak. It’s definitely an incredible record, but it’s not something I truly care about. For me it’s more important to win races and try to win the world title. If I can do that and also achieve this kind of record, it’s nice to know and feel, but it’s not something that’s really important."

Iker Lecuona has said he’s getting closer and closer to his teammate, and Bulega admits that sooner or later he’ll be caught—something that could even happen at Balaton Park: "It can happen, even though in races it doesn’t matter whether you win by 1 second or 10.The important thing is to win. He’s certainly the closest to me, but being close still means he’s behind. He’ll definitely be very strong at Balaton, because I think the track suits his riding style; for me, it’s the opposite. If I were to win at Balaton, it would be a good sign for me and for the rest of the season."

Winning in Hungary on a theoretically unfavorable circuit would suggest he could triumph in all the remaining races of the 2026 Superbike Championship. But the rider from Emilia tempers that notion: "It’s really hard to win every race, he explains. I start each weekend with the goal of trying to win, but it’s not always possible. It’s complicated—anything can happen; for example, the weather might not be perfect, and you also need some luck. Not everything is always under my control. Balaton is terrible for my riding style, but I said the same about Cremona and then I took a hat-trick of wins against Toprak. You never know..."

Nicolò remains the favorite—how could it be otherwise. It will also be interesting to see whether there will be market developments involving him in the coming days, given that his dream is to race in MotoGP in 2027. Talks are ongoing and there are some chances of seeing him in the top class next year, but the few available seats are being contested by several riders, and securing one won’t be easy.