History was written at the Cremona Circuit as Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) captured the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship title in front of his home fans at the 2026 EICMA Italian Round. The Italian rider became the first to win a title with Ducati on home soil, though the immense pressure meant he could not push at 100% during a messy race where teammate Iker Lecuona proved exceptionally fast. Bulega admitted to making plenty of mistakes and struggling to comprehend the remaining laps, but the milestone marks an incredible journey for a rider who grew up in the paddock watching legends like Bayliss and Haga.
While Bulega focused on securing the crown, his teammate Iker Lecuona dominated the weekend by claiming a maiden hat-trick of wins. Lecuona noted that he felt completely comfortable on the machine regardless of changing weather conditions, maintaining a comfortable margin and consistent pace to avoid any stupid crashes. He even used Bulega's data to study specific corners and sharpen his own performance, capping off a stellar weekend.
Ducati leadership was naturally ecstatic with the results. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali praised the development of the completely new motorcycle and the Panigale's effectiveness on track, hailing Bulega's unbelievable season. Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna emphasized the importance of winning with an Italian rider on an Italian bike, pointing out that Bulega's mental strength has grown immensely compared to previous years.
Further down the grid, Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) celebrated what he considered a big win by securing a P6 finish in Race 2. Dixon noted that he completely used everything underneath him and overachieved on Sunday, aided by grid improvements and some riders crashing out. He also credited the tireless work of the UK and Japan test teams, along with support from Jonny.
Meanwhile, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) bounced back from a disastrous run of crashes on Friday and Saturday to claim a rostrum finish on Sunday. After waking up needing a total reset to protect his fight for third place in the Championship, Montella kept his riding smooth on the hot, slippery track to secure the podium. He also singled out Surra as a major rival for the remainder of the season and into next year.
