World Championship leader Nicolo Bulega: A Lamborghini would be fine, but a James Bond tuxedo would be over the top

Last weekend, the eyes of Italian motorsport fans were primarily fixed on Monza, where Formula 1 took to the track at the Royal Park and Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli stormed to victory with an outstanding performance from 19th on the grid.

Nicolo Bulega, a close friend of the young Antonelli (20), was already well aware of this even before the Superbike races taking place simultaneously in France. That is why, ahead of the weekend, he expressed concern that“nobody would be watching the races”.

Promoter Liberty (formerly Dorna) was not pleased with such headlines, but that does nothing to change the situation. “It’s hardly surprising that Formula 1 ranks above the Superbike World Championship – everyone knows that,” said Bulega after his eighth one-two finish of the season at Magny-Cours. “One is motorbike racing, the other is the highest level in the world. Why should I say otherwise? I’m a big fan of the World Superbike Championship and hope that one day it will be on a par with Formula 1. At the moment, though, we have to be realistic – and that’s not the case.”

Bulega has won 26 of this year’s 27 races; only in the first main race at Donington Park did he come off second best against his Aruba team-mate Iker Lecuona, finishing second.

Early title win in Cremona?

There are numerous calculations as to which race at the next World Championship round in Cremona could see Bulega clinch the title. In summary: if he loses no more than 22 points to Lecuona over the weekend, he will be crowned champion early. If things go as they have for almost the entire season – with Bulega winning and Lecuona finishing second – then Nico will be the new number one and successor to Toprak Razgatlioglu after the sprint on Sunday lunchtime.

Willkommen zum Rennen in Magny-Cours

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Nicolò Bulega

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Axel Bassani

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Boxengasse

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Garrett Gerloff

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Fans

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Xavier Vierge

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Sam Lowes

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Iker Lecuona

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Álvaro Bautista

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Start des Rennens

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Lorenzo Baldassarri

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Axel Bassani

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Sam Lowes

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Nicolò Bulega

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Iker Lecuona

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Yari Montella

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Nicolò Bulega gewinnt beide Läufe in Frankreich

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Bulega und Lecuona

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Podium Lauf 1 - Iker Lecuona, Nicolò Bulega, Sam Lowes

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Podium Lauf 2 - Iker Lecuona, Nicolò Bulega, Yari Montella

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Sieger Nicolò Bulega

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Willkommen zum Rennen in Magny-Cours

© Gold & Goose

So it’s time for a grand entrance at his home race. Lewis Hamilton arrived at Monza in a Ferrari F40, causing quite a stir. “He’s got a bit more money than me – just a bit,” grinned Bulega. “If I could get a Lamborghini for free for a week, that’d be lovely – I’ll have to ask Mauro Grassilli.”

Ducati, like Lamborghini, is part of the Volkswagen Group; Grassilli is the sporting director at the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer. All that’s missing to complete the picture is a tuxedo in true James Bond style. “That would be a bit much,” said the future MotoGP rider. “I prefer a tracksuit . If I didn’t win, everyone would accuse me of getting carried away.”