Jerez, Race 1: Seven Ducatis ahead of a Bimota – no points for BMW

For the eleventh time in the 2026 Superbike World Championship, Nicolò Bulega started the first race from pole position. His Ducati team-mates Sam Lowes and Iker Lecuona completed the front row at the Circuito de Jerez. With eight V4Rs in the top nine, Ducati dominated, with only Bimota rider Alex Lowes breaking into the mix in fifth place.

Yamaha rider Xavi Vierge (11th) and Honda ace Jake Dixon (12th) qualified ahead of BMW rider Miguel Oliveira (13th). Kawasaki’s lone rider, Garrett Gerloff, could only manage 16th on the grid.

At the start of the race at 3.30 pm, the temperature was 27 degrees Celsius with a mix of sun and clouds. The riders had 20 laps to complete. In the overall standings, Yari Montella (Ducati) secured third place in the World Championship ahead of Alex Lowes.

Bulega won the sprint to the first corner. The world champion entered the first corner ahead of Sam Lowes, Lecuona, Montella and Alex Lowes. The field made it through the first few corners without incident. The top eight completed the first lap within two seconds of each other. Vierge was in 10th place ahead of Dixon and Loris Baz (Ducati), who got off to a flying start. Oliveira was in 14th.

With the fastest lap of the race in 1:38.195 minutes, Bulega had already pulled 0.9 seconds clear of Lowes and Lecuona after just two laps. Montella, in fourth place, was already 2 seconds behind.

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Jerez: Superpole Race

FIM Superbike World Championship

18.10.2026 - 10:55

Álvaro Bautista was pushing hard: the 41-year-old had overtaken Baldassarri and Bridewell and was in seventh place.

Xavi Vierge’s Yamaha was on fire

After five laps, the lap times of the top three had converged, with Bulega having built up a 1.5-second lead over Lowes. Lecuona (3rd) was not within striking distance and appeared to be struggling to keep up with the pace. The best rider on a Japanese factory bike was Jake Dixon in 11th place. Shortly afterwards, Vierge pulled his burning Yamaha over.

At the halfway stage, Bulega led by 2 seconds ahead of Lowes. Lecuona had fallen 4 seconds behind and was under massive pressure from Montella. Meanwhile, his Barni team-mate Bautista had overtaken the up-and-coming Alberto Surra and was in sixth place. At this point, Oliveira retired from the race in the pit lane.

In the second half of the race, lap times dropped sharply for many riders. The fastest rider on the track was Bautista, who took fifth place from Alex Lowes on lap 12. To move further up the order, however, the Spaniard had to close a 2.5-second gap to Montella (4th).

Following Vierge’s retirement, Andrea Locatelli was the highest-placed Yamaha rider in 13th position. Behind the 30-year-old were Danilo Petrucci (BMW) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki).

With five laps to go, the gaps within the top five stabilised. The battle for third place between Lecuona and Montella remained tight, whilst the other riders were separated by 2 seconds or more. Alex Lowes lost a position to Surra and, in seventh place, was the best non-Ducati rider – but Lorenzo Baldassarri was closing in rapidly from behind!

In the remaining laps, Bulega, Sam Lowes and Lecuona expertly saw out the race and crossed the finish line in that order. It is the Italian’s 30th victory this year.

Álvaro Bautista overtook Yari Montella with a strong final sprint

Yari Montella, however, was increasingly struggling with tyres that were losing grip. With three laps to go, Bautista had closed the gap on the 26-year-old and made short work of him. Finishing fourth, the two-time Superbike World Champion celebrated his best result since Balaton Park in early May. Fifth place was enough for Montella to secure third place in the World Championship.

Behind seven Ducatis, Bimota’s star rider Alex Lowes crossed the finish line in eighth place, 13 seconds behind.

For Jake Dixon (11th/Honda), Andrea Locatelli (13th/Yamaha) and Garrett Gerloff (14th), the first race at least ended in the points. BMW rider Danilo Petrucci (17th) was knocked out of the top 15 on the final lap by Remy Gardner (Yamaha).