The 2026 World Superbike season is officially underway, and the final pre-season test at Phillip Island in Australia kicked off with a bang on Monday morning. But here's where it gets exciting: Nicolo Bulega, the reigning Phillip Island champion, picked up right where he left off last season, dominating the first free practice session and setting the pace for what promises to be a thrilling year of racing. And this is the part most people miss—while Bulega's performance was impressive, the day was also marked by a series of incidents, from gravel traps to crashes, that kept the teams and fans on the edge of their seats.
The two-day test alternates between the WorldSBK and WSS classes, giving fans a comprehensive look at the talent and machinery that will define the upcoming season. Monday's WorldSBK schedule included two free practice sessions: 11:10-13:10 and 15:40-17:40, both of which were packed with action. But here's where it gets controversial: while Bulega's performance was undeniably strong, some are already questioning whether his early dominance is a sign of things to come or just a temporary advantage. Could other riders like Yari Montella or Axel Bassani close the gap as the test progresses?
By the end of Free Practice 1, Bulega had improved his best time at the very last moment, finishing almost half a second ahead of Montella. This is particularly notable given Bulega's sweep of all three races at Phillip Island last season. However, the session wasn't without its challenges. Honda rookie Jake Dixon ran through the gravel at Turn 2 early on, while Stefan Manzi crashed at Turn 6, and Ryan Vickers also found himself in the gravel just before the halfway mark. Brief red flags were waved due to birds on the track and a technical issue for Sam Lowes, and the session concluded with Tarran Mackenzie crashing at Turn 10.
Here’s how the riders stacked up at the end of Free Practice 1:
| POS | RIDER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
|----|----------------|-----|-------------------------------|-----------|
| 1 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.it - Ducati | 1:29.451s |
| 2 | Yari Montella | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | +0.470s |
| 3 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team| +0.788s |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Official Phillip Island WorldSBK Records remind us of Bulega's dominance, with the best lap time of 1m 27.916s set in 2024, and the fastest race lap of 1m 28.564s in the same year. Looking back at the 2025 WorldSBK Superpole Qualifying laps by manufacturer, Ducati led with Bulega's 1m 28.824s, followed by BMW, Yamaha, Bimota, Honda, and Kawasaki.
For those curious about the early stages of Free Practice 1, here’s how the riders performed after the first hour:
| POS | RIDER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
|----|----------------|-----|-------------------------------|-----------|
| 1 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.it - Ducati | 1:29.668s |
| 2 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team| +0.618s |
| 3 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Pata Maxus Yamaha | +0.752s |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
As we look ahead, the question remains: Can anyone challenge Bulega's supremacy, or will he continue to dominate the track? What do you think? Is Bulega's early lead a sign of another championship-winning season, or will other riders rise to the challenge? Let us know in the comments below!
