Superbike Assen: Nicolò Bulega is simply too strong, leaves the field behind again in Race 2

Nine carbon-copy races, nine crushing triumphs, an undisputed and crystal-clear dominance: Nicolò Bulega, with his Ducati, is squeezing the life out of this year’s World Championship. Last year there was a rival up to the task, Toprak Razgatlioglu. Now the 26-year-old in red is out of reach for anyone.

The latest showdown at Assen had no jolts: Sam Lowes got off like a rocket, Iker Lecuona tried to catch the serial winner on the hop, but it was only a matter of two laps. Nicolò Bulega pounced on the two breakaway companions as if he were riding a bike with a bigger engine. Butter-smooth overtakes, against opponents who know perfectly well that insisting would only mean asking for trouble.

In just three rounds, a quarter of the championship, Nicolò has built a lead greater than what’s at stake at any single event. For now there’s no contest, and it’s a given that the Superbike ’26 storyline will stay this way to the end. Bulega, while waiting for a challenger to emerge, is measuring himself against the sacred monsters of the past. Beyond the record of thirteen wins in a row, matching not only Toprak Razgatlioglu last year but also Colin Edwards (2002) and Doug Poles (1991), Bulega has finished on the podium for 22 races straight—65 total in 81 starts. This time he took everything at the Assen track where last year he suffered two mechanical failures that proved fatal to his World title hopes. Sport is a gentleman.

It’s not just the same winner every time—there are no tremors even in the spots behind. Here at Assen the podium hosted the same three on all three occasions: Bulega, his wingman Lecuona, and a Sam Lowes who flies here to the delight of Ducati satellite team VDS. On the Panigale they’ve taken away half a liter of fuel per hour, tweaking the flow meter in a vain attempt to bring the others closer. How well this convoluted technical regulation works is written in the standings. On top of that there’s the further absurdity of the six kilos of ballast imposed on Alvaro Bautista, a three-time World Champion, who for the third time ended up just off the podium. The Spaniard is nearing 42, but on the right day he might have the talent and charisma to try to bother the dictator. The only one who could have a go is being made to run handicapped. Feels like we’re on Scherzi a Parte...

Superbike continues in two weeks on Hungary’s Balaton Park rollercoaster. A very tight, treacherous circuit, very different from the previous three where Nicolò Bulega and Ducati left everyone in the dust. Do you think anything will change

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