Bulega Leads Misano Test: Ducati’s Technical Dominance

Nicolo Bulega recorded a fastest lap of 1 minute 32.063 seconds to top the timesheets during the opening day of the WorldSBK test at Misano, Italy. Bulega's performance provided a 0.249-second advantage over his Aruba.it Ducati teammate, Iker Lecuona, who secured the second position.

The technical superiority of Ducati was evident in the second session, where the top four positions were entirely occupied by Panigale riders. Alongside Bulega and Lecuona, Yari Montella and Sam Lowes maintained high pace, indicating a superior level of stability in chassis setup and braking efficiency at the Misano circuit. This dominance suggests a highly optimized aerodynamic package and engine mapping tailored for the track's specific demands.

Beyond the Ducati contingent, Garrett Gerloff was the only non-Panigale rider to break into the top six, representing Kawasaki. While Gerloff showed competitive speed, there remains a technical gap in exit acceleration compared to the Ducati machinery, which will likely be the primary focus for the Kawasaki engineers as they refine the bike's power delivery.

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Another significant development was the return of Jake Dixon, who completed his first laps since suffering a severe wrist injury during pre-season testing at Phillip Island. Racing for Honda, Dixon demonstrated positive momentum by climbing from 20th in the morning session to 17th in the afternoon, suggesting a successful recovery and adaptation to the bike's current state.

Honda's overall performance remains in the mid-pack, with Dixon finishing just ahead of Jonathan Rea and Somkiat Chantra. The HRC technical team faces the challenge of improving the bike's mechanical grip and power delivery to close the gap with the leaders. Meanwhile, BMW, represented by Michael van der Mark in 12th, continues to struggle with chassis stability and balance on this specific layout.

The results from Wednesday's session establish a clear benchmark ahead of the upcoming Aragon round. With Bulega's pace already exceeding the competitors' average, rival teams must now prioritize suspension geometry and tire degradation management to challenge Ducati's grip on the standings. Testing at Misano continues on Thursday to finalize the technical configurations.