Nicolo Bulega once again showcased his dominance at the Magny-Cours circuit. The Ducati rider topped both Free Practice 1 (FP1) and FP2 on Friday (4/9/2026), strengthening his status as the favorite for this weekend's races.
In FP1, Bulega set the fastest time, edging out Sam Lowes by nearly three-tenths of a second. His teammate, Iker Lecuona, threatened with the third-fastest time. Bulega admitted he wasn't surprised by Lecuona's pace, having predicted the Spaniard as his closest rival.
The morning session was briefly red-flagged after Bahattin Sofuoglu crashed at Turns 1-2. Fortunately, the Turkish rider escaped injury. Meanwhile, Bulega faced an electrical issue on his bike, costing him valuable track time.
In FP2, Lecuona became the center of attention after a heavy crash early in the session. He fell, leaving debris on track. Though uninjured, the incident forced him back to the garage, losing significant time for setup development.
Off-track, paddock news stirred: Miguel Oliveira reportedly extended his BMW contract for 2027, while Danilo Petrucci confirmed his departure from the German manufacturer. Amid the rider market buzz, Bulega remained focused, topping FP2 timesheets with a 1'36.032, ahead of Lowes in second.
Andrea Locatelli also encountered technical troubles on his Yamaha, stopping trackside. Aruba Racing mechanics worked frantically to repair Lecuona's bike, but the process took considerable time.
With Bulega's consistent performance, rivals face an uphill battle to challenge him at Magny-Cours. Will anyone break his dominance? We'll find out in Superpole and the races this weekend.
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