Superbike: Bulega Reaches 50 Wins—Triumph at Jerez and Jonathan Rea’s Record Tied

Nicolò Bulega continues to make history in WorldSBK. The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider won Race 1 of the Pirelli Round of Spain at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit, securing his 50th victory in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. This victory allows him to tie Jonathan Rea’s historic record and close in on another production-based motorcycle racing legend, Troy Bayliss, who ended his career with 52 wins.

Finishing behind the Italian were Sam Lowes, riding for the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, and Spaniard Iker Lecuona, Bulega’s Ducati teammate. The race leader managed the race with authority, defending first place as the lights went out and gradually building his lead over the chasing pack.

Sam Lowes immediately tried to put pressure on Bulega, but the Italian rider maintained the lead and began to pull away. The start, however, was more complicated for Lecuona, who was initially forced to fend off attacks from Yari Montella, riding the Barni Spark Racing Team’s Ducati.

As the laps went by, Bulega consolidated his lead. On the seventh lap, Sam Lowes was about a second and a half behind the leader, while Lecuona had to fend off attacks from behind. The Spaniard made a mistake at Turn 12, allowing Montella to pass him, but managed to reclaim the position as early as the next turn.

The situation remained largely unchanged until the checkered flag: Bulega celebrated his 50th victory in the World Superbike Championship, ahead of Sam Lowes and Lecuona. The win at Jerez secures Bulega an increasingly important place in the championship’s history. The Italian has reached 50 wins in just 106 races, closing in on the mark of 52 victories set by three-time world champion Troy Bayliss.

The comparison with the Australian makes the result even more significant: Bayliss had reached his 50th victory after 150 races, while Bulega did so in 44 fewer races. That’s not the only milestone worth celebrating. With his podium finish at Jerez, Bulega has now secured 34 podium finishes this season, tying the record set by Jonathan Rea in 2019. For Sam Lowes, this marks his 15th WorldSBK podium, while Lecuona celebrates his 32nd career top-three finish in the championship.