Just as the season had started, it was to be expected that Nicolo Bulega would continue his winning streak in Assen. The Italian, absolute leader of the championship since he started with a hat trick in Australia, was the big favorite and the truth is that he has not disappointed. Of course, this time he had it more complicated with a superb Iker Lecuona, who seems increasingly comfortable with the Panigale V4 and who has pushed his teammate to continue improving.
SBK Assen 2026 – Race 1: The rain gives Lecuona a chance, but Bulega shows his teeth
Another weekend Bulega started from pole and although that is not decisive, it is an important factor. Even so, he was inconvenienced by Iker Lecuona, who is becoming more competitive with the Ducati every day, and managed to get a good start and take the lead. This position lasted for the Spaniard until almost the end of the second lap, when Bulega went all out to overcome him.
From there Bulega imposed his pace and began to open up a gap, but the rain appeared with a few laps to go and turned everything upside down. Lecuona first closed the distance and then overtook the Italian to leave. But it was only a few minutes, something usual in Assen, and when the rain disappeared Bulega again overtook Lecuona to end up crossing the finish line first and second respectively.
While Sam Lowes, with more pace than the rest of the riders but with less than the two Ducati officials, achieved a third position that confirms the good condition of the Briton this season. Bautista reached fourth place after a brilliant comeback before the rain, being the ham of the Lowes sandwich, because Álex Lowes with his Bimota finished after the Talaveran.
Andrea Locatelli, who this weekend was running on a track that was a priori more favorable for R1, took full advantage with a sixth position ahead of Oliveira, Baldassarri, Mackenzie and Vierge, who closed the top 10.
SBK Assen 2026 – Superpole Race: Nicolo does not hesitate
After what was seen on Saturday, there was the feeling that Lecuona could have more options in the short race. Bulega must have also felt that as the traffic lights at the TT Circuit of Assen went out, he got down to work in search of his twelfth consecutive victory. Iker achieved a good second place, riding between his teammate and Sam Lowes who was capable of finishing third again.
Curiously, the top5 was repeated with respect to race 1 with Álvaro Bautista surpassing Alex Lowes although this time with a more intense duel between the two. Xavi Vierge achieved sixth position, with Petrucci, Montella, Locatelli and Gardner adding points.
SBK Assen 2026 – Race 2: Bulega puts the icing on the cake
On this occasion Sam Lowes overtook the two official Ducati riders at the start, but his position against the two “men in red” did not last long. First Lecuona tried it, then Bulega and they both succeeded. Then it was Nicolo himself who put himself ahead of Iker to set the course for the thirteenth consecutive victory, equaling the record he now shares with Toprak Razgatlioglu.
And while Bulega signed a new victory, Iker Lecuona took another second place, consolidating his position in second place in the championship ahead of Sam Lowes, who also finished in third position. In this way, just as happened in Portimao but changing the protagonist on the third step, all the podiums of the weekend were monopolized by the same drivers.
Álvaro Bautista, in a very solid weekend, finished fourth again and climbed to seventh position overall. Of course, first he had to put his teammate, Yari Montella, in his place, who finally had to settle for fifth position. Baldassari, who has not shone like he did in Australia, was sixth ahead of Xavi Vierge who, in turn, beat his teammate Andrea Locatelli. Danilo Petrucci, in a weekend that looked better than it ended, crossed the finish line ninth with Tarran Mackenzie completing the top 10.
