Donington, with much less green than usual, hosted WSBK to celebrate the eighth round of the season and the last before the summer holidays. A summer vacation that in the series-derived motorcycle championship extends until September. So before the break, we had to give the best possible version, and that was what Iker Lecuona did.
The Valencian, who has been fighting all season to achieve his first victory, had a new opportunity on the British track. And from the first training session he closely marked Bulega, who seemed unreachable at the beginning of the season, but who he is getting closer to.
SBK Donington 2026 – Race 1: And the first one has arrived!
Every weekend was closer, but there was always something that ruined Lecuona’s plans to achieve his first victory against Nicolo Bulega. In Donington the plan was similar to that of other occasions: go out as best as possible, get in front and withstand the attacks.
But this time everything went as planned and after placing himself in first position, Lecuona had the tools to maintain his position despite the pressure from Bulega, who was not willing to let victory slip away. In fact, Bulega was in first position on lap three, but Iker, instead of throwing in the towel, came back to take the lead again and start trying to open up a gap.
Of course, Lecuona did not have it easy at all, lap after lap he had to endure not only the pressure from Bulega but also different attacks from the Italian, including one in the last corner. Even so, the Valencian managed to hold on to first position, and although by just over a tenth and a half, he achieved his first and well-deserved victory in the WSBK. In this way and after 141 races, Iker wrote his name in the WSBK book and ended Bulega’s historic winning streak.
Despite the fight between the two Ducati riders, Yari Montella could not get close enough to them to seek anything more than a great third position, but it shows the level that the young Italian is reaching. Sam Lowes, Bridewell and Baldassarri, fourth, fifth and sixth respectively completed a 100% Ducati top6. After the “Ducati Cup” Alex Lowes, Garret Gerloff, Axel Bassani and Xavi Vierge closed the top ten positions.
SBK Donington 2026 – Superpole Race: Lecuona tried, but ended up on the ground
After a great performance on Saturday, Iker Lecuona went all out on Sunday. A good start put him back in front and he began to impose his rhythm in the opening stages. But this time things were not going to end in the same way as a few hours before, and at the end of the second lap Iker went to the ground and, after resuming the march, ended up retiring.
That left Montella in first position, but a few laps later Bulega attacked him to take the lead and begin to make room for a new victory that mathematically gave the team title to Ducati-Aruba despite still having four rounds to go. On this occasion Montella achieved second position with Sam Lowes third and his brother Álex fourth. Axel Bassani crossed the finish line in fifth position with Baldassarri, Bridewell, Vierge and Gerloff closing the points positions that Jonathan Rea, who appeared again, touched by finishing tenth.
SBK Donington 2026 – Race 2: Bulega wins, but Lecuona stars in the comeback of the year
After the crash in the Superpole Race, Iker Lecuona started in tenth position and that made things difficult for the Valencian, and relatively easier for Bulega who had to focus on not making mistakes. That’s what the Italian did, he put the hammer in motion and took the lead from the beginning, making his own race.
Behind, with a firm step and driver by driver, Iker Lecuona was making up positions and reached the podium positions on lap six. Then the most complicated task began, which was to close the gap and overtake Montella, something he achieved on lap 16. From there there were no more options for Lecuona, who had to accept second place after the victory of a Bulega who has equaled, with 43, the number of wins of an illustrious like Noriyuki Haga, in addition to adding the 550th for an Italian driver in the WSBK.
Thanks to the great dominance of Ducati, which has won all the races so far this season, the Borgo Panigale brand, which is also celebrating its centenary, secured the constructors’ title just one day after the official team had won the teams’ title. Now we just have to wait a little so that, if nothing happens, Bulega wins the drivers’ title and Lecuona the runner-up to close a great year, which could be even more so if Montella, third in the race and the provisional one, follows the line.
Axel Bassani was the best Bimota, with Alex Lowes fifth and Garret Gerloff, with the Kawasaki, sixth. This time Sam Lowes had to settle for seventh place ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri, Xavi Vierge and Álvaro Bautista, who finally managed to sneak into the top 10 in the second race.
