Lecuona takes dominant Race 1 win at Cremona as Ducati team-mate Bulega finishes second
Iker Lecuona converted the first pole position of his career into a dominant Race 1 victory at Cremona, leading from lights out to the chequered flag as Aruba.it Racing - Ducati scored another one-two.
- 24
- 2
- 1 (his first)
- P2
What Happened
Aruba.it Racing - Ducati locked out the top two positions at Cremona on Saturday for the 24th time in a remarkable season. Iker Lecuona was the man to beat: after claiming the first pole position of his career in the morning, the Spaniard grabbed the holeshot in Race 1 and led from lights out to the chequered flag. It was a dominant Saturday for the factory Ducati squad.
Starting alongside Lecuona from second on the grid, Nicolò Bulega did not get the launch he wanted and was beaten away by Yari Montella, also riding a Ducati. Montella crashed out two laps later, which promoted Bulega back into second place. From there, Lecuona's pace was untouchable, and Bulega settled into P2 to bring home another valuable result and complete the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati one-two.
24times
Aruba.it Racing - Ducati locked out the top two positions at Cremona for the 24th time this season.
“I'm really happy. When I think that I nearly crashed in Superpole this morning, then went on to take pole and win the race, it makes this result even more satisfying. A huge thank you to my team because they gave me a fantastic bike right from FP1. To feel this comfortable on the bike from Friday onwards is something really special.”
“There are times when you have to look at the bigger picture rather than just one race, and this is one of them. There's no point hiding the fact that Iker has had the edge on me so far this weekend, but the target stays the same: we need to find another step for tomorrow. The pressure? Of course I can feel it - it would be impossible not to - but it's a great feeling too. I want to thank everyone who came here to support me. See you tomorrow.”
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Earlier in the weekend, Lecuona topped both Friday practice sessions at Cremona, while Bulega ended the day second despite crashing twice. Bulega arrived at the Cremona Circuit leading the WorldSBK standings, with the chance to secure the 2026 world title in front of Italian fans.
- Lecuona fastest in both Friday practices at Cremona as Bulega takes second despite two crashes
- Bulega can seal WorldSBK title at Cremona as Ducati team-mate Lecuona hunts second win
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The result is the 24th time this season that the factory Ducati squad has locked out the top two positions, underlining its grip on the championship. It matters most for Ducati's home fans at the Italian round and for the team-mates themselves: Bulega says he needs to find another step for Sunday, and both riders will start the weekend's remaining race from the front of the field.
Terms in This Story
- pole position
- The first spot on the starting grid, awarded to the rider who sets the fastest time in qualifying.
- holeshot
- Being the first rider into the opening corner of a race after getting the best launch off the start line.
- Superpole
- The qualifying session that decides the order of the starting grid.
- chequered flag
- The flag that signals the end of a race.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.