Nicolo Bulega enjoys “special” Portuguese WorldSBK, Toprak Razgatlioglu record nears

Nicolo Bulega says his Portuguese WorldSBK weekend was “special” after winning all three races.

Bulega has gone unbeaten at the last three WorldSBK rounds and his start to this season leaves him 56 points in the lead after only two of 12 rounds.

The Italian has also led all but three laps this year, and qualified on pole at both rounds.

His current streak of race wins stretches back to the Estoril Round last year when he won race two, meaning he’s won 10 races in succession. Toprak Razgatlioglu set the World Superbike record for consecutive wins at 13 in 2024, and matched that tally in the middle of last season. Only three races away from that, Bulega can match Razgatlioglu’s record in Assen at the next round.

But in Portimao it was not the success itself that seemed to satisfy Bulega most, but the way he worked through the weekend to achieve the three wins

“It was a very good weekend, a special Sunday for me,” Nicolo Bulega told WorldSBK.com after Race 2 in Portimao.

“This morning I won the Superpole Race and then [this afternoon] Race 2. 

“We improved a lot the bike from yesterday. My feeling was better today so I’m happy for this.”

On his improvements through the weekend, Bulega added: “Friday was difficult. We started in not a very good way this weekend because I had a very bad feeling with the bike, it was difficult to push with my bike like I want. 

“Then, we worked hard with my team, we never give up and we find a solution every day until arrived Sunday that the bike was very good. So, thanks to them also for helping me to be faster.”

Looking ahead to the next round, Bulega has bittersweet memories from last year, having been the fastest rider all weekend but having also suffered technical problems in both the Superpole Race and Race 2 that cost him arguably 34 points.

“Last year was a very unlucky weekend but the speed was fantastic because I won Race 1, I was winning Race 2,” he said.

“So the speed in Assen last year was incredible and I hope to be fast also this year.”