Nicolo Bulega ended the final Motul Superbike World Championship Official Test fastest onboard the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati at Phillip Island, ahead of this weekend’s opening round of the season in Australia. This year’s championship visits Donington Park for its only UK round on 11-13 July and tickets are available now – click here to book yours.
The Italian rider was fastest in all four sessions, although the final afternoon session was partially impacted by rain. Bulega led a Ducati top three on the combined times, +0.482s ahead of Team Pata GoEleven’s Andrea Iannone and Danilo Petrucci for the Barni Spark Racing Team.
Reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu bounced back from a heavy crash yesterday to post the fourth fastest time for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, maintaining a position ahead of Alvaro Bautista and Andrea Locatelli on the lone Pata Maxus Yamaha after Jonathan Rea was forced out of action after the opening day of the test following a crash.
Rea has subsequently been ruled out of the opening round of the season as the six-time WorldSBK Champion sustained multiple fractures to his left foot and now begins his rehabilitation.
Alex Lowes was the top British contender in seventh place with the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, whilst Scott Redding completed the top ten riders on combined times.
Motul Superbike World Championship, Phillip Island Test combined times (Monday/Tuesday):
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’28.680s
- Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) +0.482s
- Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.499s
- Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.567s
- Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.797s
- Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.813s
Discounted advance tickets for the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at Donington Park on 12-14 July are available now for £36 (Saturday), £46 (Sunday) or £75 (weekend). Further reductions are available for 13-15-year-olds and under-13s go FREE. Click here to book now.