Nicolo Bulega produced a dominant performance in the final MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park this afternoon, to record 23rd success of the season. The Ducati ace took the lead from pole at the start and never looked back from there.
Bulega’s Aruba.It Racing Ducati fended off an early attempt from Yari Montella to move alongside on one of the Barni Spark Racing Team Panigales, and after exiting Redgate at the head of the order, he was then able to comfortably ride home towards the chequered flag.
The main contender on the move was Bulega’s teammate, Iker Lecuona, who was recovering from further down the order after falling in the earlier Tissot Superpole race, following his Saturday victory. Lecuona quickly rose up the order to third, from where he was forced to shadow Montella for a few laps. After moving past his rival, he was then able to ride home to a convincing second place, just over four seconds behind Bulega, with Montella hanging on to take third.
Behind the leading trio of Ducatis, Alex Lowes was the best placed rider for any other manufacturer. He rode home to fourth place on his bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team machine, with teammate Axel Bassani shadowing him throughout. The Brit held on to be classified as the best of the homegrown riders, however, with Bassani behind in fifth.
Garrett Gerloff was another non-Ducati to show well, riding to sixth on the grid’s only Kawasaki WorldSBK Team entry. Sam Lowes was next, following his earlier podium with a seventh place, just ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri. Xavi Vierge and Alvaro Bautista completed the top 10.
MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Race 2, Donington Park
- Nicolo Bulega, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati
- Iker Lecuona, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati, +4.161s
- Yari Montella, Barni Spark Racing Team, +6.850s
- Alex Lowes, bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, +15.346s
- Axel Bassani, bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, +15.582s
- Garrett Gerloff, Kawasaki WorldSBK Team, +16.656s
- Sam Lowes, ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, +22.438s
- Lorenzo Baldassarri, Team Goeleven, +24.748s
- Xavi Vierge, Pata Maxus Yamaha, +25.293s
- Alvaro Bautista, Barni Spark Racing Team, +26.627s