Nicolò Bulega Crowned 2026 WorldSBK Champion at Cremona

The Aruba.it Racing-Ducati rider seals his maiden WorldSBK title on home soil after a dominant season aboard the Panigale V4 R.

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Nicolò Bulega has been crowned the 2026 FIM Superbike World Champion, securing the title on home soil at Cremona aboard the Aruba.it Racing-Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Bulega completed a remarkable campaign that saw him lead the championship from the opening round in Australia, eventually sealing the Riders’ title during a successful weekend for Ducati.

The championship success also completed a clean sweep for Ducati and Aruba.it Racing-Ducati, with the team securing the Teams’ Championship and Ducati taking the Manufacturers’ title. The result marks the third WorldSBK Riders’ title for Aruba.it Racing-Ducati and Ducati’s 17th Riders’ championship in the series.

Bulega’s season has been particularly dominant, with 26 victories and four runner-up finishes from the opening 30 races. The celebrations in Cremona were further boosted by team-mate Iker Lecuona, who completed a perfect weekend by taking pole position before winning both races. The Spaniard’s double victory also marked the first hat-trick of his WorldSBK career.

In Race 1, Lecuona converted his maiden pole into victory after taking the holeshot and leading from the opening lap to the chequered flag. Bulega initially lost ground at the start but moved back into second after Yari Montella crashed two laps into the race, giving Aruba.it Racing-Ducati a one-two finish.

For Bulega, the title represents the latest stage of a career that has seen him rise through Ducati’s racing programme. The Italian previously won the WorldSSP title before moving into the premier WorldSBK category.

“I’m World Champion, and it still feels incredible. This win means so much to me for a number of reasons,” Bulega said.

“When I moved up to Superbike, I knew the challenge would be even bigger, but I found a team that believed in me from the very first race and gave me everything I needed to get to this point.”

Panigale V4 R Completes Perfect Season

The championship success also highlights the performance of Ducati’s Panigale V4 R, which remained unbeaten throughout the 2026 WorldSBK season.

The motorcycle has won all 30 races contested so far this season, helping Ducati secure its fifth consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship and 22nd overall in the series.

The latest-generation Panigale V4 R features technology derived from Ducati’s racing programme, including MotoGP-derived Corner Sidepods and the Ducati Racing Gearbox.

The model continues a Ducati WorldSBK lineage that dates back to 2001, with the manufacturer now recording 479 victories and 1,266 podium finishes in the championship.

For Aruba.it Racing-Ducati, the 2026 season now concludes with all three major WorldSBK championships secured, as Bulega’s Riders’ title joins the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ crowns.