Nicolo Bulega has etched his name into the history books after securing a hat-trick of victories at Phillip Island, becoming the most successful Italian rider in WorldSBK history in terms of race wins.
Heading into the Australian round, Bulega sat on 20 career victories following his runner-up finish in the 2025 championship. His three wins across the weekend elevate his tally to 23, surpassing the records previously held by Max Biaggi (21 wins) and Marco Melandri (22 wins). The milestone cements the Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider as the most victorious Italian in the series.
“I’m really happy, especially to become the Italian with most wins,” Bulega told WorldSBK.com after claiming victory in a wet Race 2.
“Okay, it’s nothing, but it’s something. I’m really happy and I want to put more wins on my back.”
While Race 1 was a commanding performance, Sunday presented more complex challenges. In the Superpole Race, Bulega dropped to fourth at the start as light rain began to fall, forcing him to carefully manage slick tyres on a damp track before fighting his way back to victory. Race 2 was contested in fully wet conditions, demanding precision in throttle control and race management.
“This morning the Superpole Race was a bit difficult because it started to rain a little bit but we were with slick tyres so I had to be very careful,” he explained.
“Before Race 2 I was a bit angry because I knew I had a very good feeling and pace in dry conditions, then I saw it started raining. I tried to turn that anger into good energy to win also in wet conditions.”
Bulega acknowledged Phillip Island as one of his strongest circuits, where he feels particularly confident extracting performance from the Ducati Panigale V4 R. However, he was quick to caution that early-season dominance does not guarantee control of the championship battle.
“I think Phillip Island is my favourite track. I really enjoy winning here. It’s amazing and my target is to win, for sure – I will try again next time but for sure some guys will improve a lot.”
With 23 career victories now to his name, Bulega strengthens his credentials as a title contender. Nevertheless, he underlined that consistency across varied circuit characteristics throughout the WorldSBK calendar will ultimately determine the championship outcome.
Read Also
Nicolo Bulega wins the 2026 WorldSBK Phillip Island race in dominant fashion to lead the championship early.
Nicolo Bulega says his dominant WorldSBK Race 1 win in Australia was not easy despite leading every lap.
WorldSBK 2026 standings after Race 2 in Australia led by Nicolo Bulega following a perfect weekend at Phillip Island.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!