Two manufacturers hit with WorldSBK performance penalties
Two manufacturers have been hit by fuel flow penalties ahead of the Dutch WorldSBK.
Bimota and Ducati have both received maximum fuel flow reductions ahead of the Dutch WorldSBK this weekend (17–19 April).
Ducati has won all six races this year thanks to Nicolo Bulega, who has also taken both pole positions in 2026 and led all but three of the racing laps. The Italian can equal Toprak Razgatlioglu's record of 13 consecutive wins this weekend, although he says he doesn’t “care” about it.
Aside from Bulega, Ducati has also scored podiums with Iker Lecuona (three, all at Portimao), Yari Montella (one, at Phillip Island), Alvaro Bautista (one, at Phillip Island), and Lorenzo Baldassarri (one, at Phillip Island).
It also completed a front row lockout at both races, with Bulega on pole ahead of Montella and Sam Lowes in Australia, and then Bulega from Lecuona and Montella in Portugal.
Ducati riders occupy the first two positions in the World Superbike riders’ standings after two rounds, and there are six Panigale V4 R riders in the top-10.
Bimota has not yet qualified on the front row this year and has scored three podiums, all at Phillip Island: two for Axel Bassani, and one for Alex Lowes. Bassani was second in the standings after the Australian Round, but dropped to third after finishing eighth in all three races in Portugal; Lowes, meanwhile sits fifth in the standings after finishing fourth in all three races at Portimao.
Both manufacturers have received a 0.5kg/h reduction in their maximum fuel flow from the Dutch Round. However, the two manufacturers started the season with two different maximum fuel flow rates based on the reductions applied last year.
Ducati started this season with a maximum fuel flow of 45kg/h, as did BMW, while Bimota started with 46kg/h after it too was reduced from last year. Bimota now has 45.5kg/h and Ducati has 44.5kg/h, making it alone as the manufacturer with the lowest fuel flow rate after it and BMW were hit consistently with reductions during 2025.
Honda and Yamaha both used superconcessions during 2025 to increase their fuel flow by 0.5kg/h and have a maximum rate of 46.5kg/h at present.
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Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
