Nicolo Bulega Dominates Despite Uncomfortable Ducati Feeling

Nicolo Bulega topped both Friday practice sessions at the UK WorldSBK round at Donington Park despite admitting he had not found the feeling he wanted from the Ducati Panigale V4 R.

The factory Ducati rider ended the day more than 0.2 seconds clear of the field. The margin confirmed his underlying pace remained strong, although Bulega identified several areas of the motorcycle that still required improvement before the races.

“It is not bad because I am first, but the feeling is not how I want it. We need to improve because in some areas I am not very comfortable on the bike, although the general pace was not bad,” Bulega said.

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The concern came at the end of an intense period for Bulega. He arrived at Donington after winning the Ducati Race of Champions at Misano, completing 850cc MotoGP testing, taking part in Michelin Superbike tyre development and attending several promotional events.

Bulega acknowledged that the workload over the previous month had begun to affect him physically. He had spent more time travelling to events and riding motorcycles than recovering at home, prompting plans for a 15-to-20-day break after his next MotoGP test.

A Thursday appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed added another physical demand immediately before the race weekend. Bulega spent several hours in leathers under hot conditions, making energy management increasingly important.

Despite the imperfect feeling and growing fatigue, Bulega remained the clear Friday benchmark. The team’s next task was to improve the motorcycle’s balance without sacrificing the pace that had placed him at the top of both Donington practice sessions.