Portuguese WorldSBK FP1: Nicolo Bulega leads Ducati 1-2

Nicolo Bulega edged his Ducati teammate Alvaro Bautista to claim the fastest lap at the 2025 Portuguese WorldSBK FP1.

The Italian rider aboard his Pirelli-shod ARUBA.IT Racing Ducati Panigale V4R set a blistering pace on the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) Autodromo Internacional do Algarve track, recording a lap time of 1:40.977 to lead the field of 23 riders.

Nicolo Bulega’s performance in Portuguese WorldSBK FP1 was a continuation of his dominant form in February’s season opener at Phillip Island where he topped every session.

Bulega’s teammate Alvaro Bautista was hot on his heels finishing second with a time of 1:40.996, just 0.019 seconds behind. The Ducati 1-2 finish in opening practice session showcased the Italian manufacturer’s strong start to the Portuguese round.

The surprise of the session came from Italian rider Axel Bassani who secured the third-fastest time with a 1:41.046 on his Kawasaki Racing Team Bimota KB998 Rimini.

Bassani’s performance exceeded expectations especially considering the results from the test held at the same circuit two weeks prior. His strong showing put him less than a tenth of a second behind Bulega’s best time, demonstrating the competitiveness of the Bimota machine.

BMW’s charge was led by Michael van der Mark who finished the session in fourth place. The Dutch rider’s performance was particularly noteworthy as he outpaced his high-profile teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu.

However, the 2024 WorldSBK Champion faced an unexpected setback during the session as a transponder problem prevented him from setting a lap time throughout the entire practice.

The technical issue will undoubtedly put additional pressure on Razgatlioglu and his team to make up for lost track time in subsequent sessions.

Rounding out the top five in Portuguese WorldSBK FP1 was rookie Yari Montella who continued to impress after his strong showing in Phillip Island.

The Italian rider’s performance on the Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R demonstrated his quick adaptation to the premier class and his potential to be a regular frontrunner.

Meanwhile, Andrea Iannone – making his return to high-level motorcycle racing – showed no signs of rust as he secured the sixth-fastest time. The GoEleven Ducati rider’s performance was particularly impressive, considering he took some time to emerge from the pits but immediately found his pace once on track.

Alex Lowes, piloting the sister Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team machine, finished the session in seventh place. The British rider’s time was just over 0.2 seconds slower than Bulega’s benchmark, highlighting the tight competition at the front of the field.

Meanwhile, Danilo Petrucci finished eighth on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale ahead of Xavi Vierge who marked the first Honda in ninth and Sam Lowes who rounded out the top ten on the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati Paningale V4 R.

The 2025 Portuguese WorldSBK FP1 session also saw some notable performances further down the order.

American rider Garrett Gerloff suffered technical issues on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR to finish the opening session in 19th place with a time of 1:43.414. While the result may not have met Gerloff’s expectations, it provides a baseline for improvement as the weekend progresses.

The competitive nature of the 2025 WorldSBK field was evident in the close times throughout the grid. With less than a second separating the top ten riders, the stage is set for an intensely fought battle for pole position and race victories.

2025 Portuguese WorldSBK FP1 Results – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve