Nicolo Bulega began the Estoril WorldSBK weekend at the top of the FP1 timesheets, setting a 1:35.546 as the opening session of the penultimate 2026 round reached its conclusion. The Ducati rider was the only man into the 1:35 range when he first established the benchmark, and remained fastest after a late improvement elsewhere in the field. The precise order immediately behind him changed during the closing stages, so the important message from Friday morning was Bulega’s outright pace rather than a settled hierarchy among his nearest rivals.

Estoril is the 11th and penultimate round of this year’s championship. FP1 began in relatively warm conditions, with the air at 20C and the track at 23C. Miguel Oliveira led the early timing screens with a 1:37.802 after five minutes, before the Ducatis moved to the front and the pace dropped into the 1:36s. Around 15 minutes into the session, Bulega took over the lead with a 0.338-second advantage over Iker Lecuona. Lecuona later reduced the gap to 0.236 seconds, but Bulega answered with his eventual 1:35.546.

Many riders were using worn tyres during the middle part of the session, limiting the number of personal bests. Bulega’s final lap therefore provided the clearest benchmark, while the final top ten also included Alex Lowes, Xavi Vierge, Alvaro Bautista, Sam Lowes, Lorenzo Baldassarri, Yari Montella and Oliveira, alongside the riders at the front. Bautista was still circulating strongly despite dropping down the order during the session, and produced a personal best of his own.

Two crashes interrupt the session

Tommy Bridewell crashed at Turn 10 during the early phase of FP1. He was able to get back on his feet and tried to restart the motorcycle so he could ride it back to the pits. Garrett Gerloff’s accident came with approximately four minutes remaining, when he crashed under the downhill braking approach to Turn 8. The incident damaged the American’s bodywork and brought his session to an early end.

The morning pace was still some way from Estoril’s established WorldSBK records. Toprak Razgatlioglu’s qualifying record is 1:34.203, set last year, while the race-lap record is 1:34.973. Bulega set that time in last year’s Superpole Race, and also recorded the fastest lap in Race 2 on the way to winning it.

Third place is the main championship battle

The major 2026 titles have already been decided. Ducati secured the manufacturers’ championship at Donington, its factory squad took the teams’ title, and Bulega was crowned riders’ champion at Cremona two weeks before the Estoril round. The remaining contest at the sharp end is for third place between Yari Montella, Alex Lowes and Sam Lowes.

Montella currently has a 43-point advantage over Alex Lowes. Sam Lowes is 50 points behind Montella after his Race 2 crash at Cremona. The Barni Ducati rider can secure third this weekend, but the points situation requires him to extend his advantage over fourth place by 20 points across Estoril’s three races. Finishing third would also make Montella the independent riders’ champion. Barni has already secured the independent teams’ title, helped by Montella’s fourth place in the Cremona Superpole Race.

Unsettled plans for 2027

Estoril is also being held against a backdrop of unresolved rider decisions. Alvaro Bautista, who is without confirmation beyond the end of the season, has said that the options currently available to him do not “motivate” him to continue racing in 2027. He will turn 42 next year, and the possibility that 2026 will be his final WorldSBK campaign remains open. Bautista is a two-time champion and has endured a difficult season.

Danilo Petrucci is likewise set to leave BMW at the end of the season, with Brad Binder due to take his place. The three-time WorldSBK race winner has said that he is still discussing a possible continuation in the championship with GoEleven, meaning his WorldSBK career is not yet necessarily over.

Loris Baz is back at Estoril as Tarran Mackenzie’s replacement and is expected to ride at Jerez next week as well. Mackenzie’s season ended after his FP2 crash at Donington. Estoril is also a second home round for Oliveira during his rookie WorldSBK season, following Portimao. The Portuguese rider has not raced at the circuit since retiring from the 2012 Moto3 event, although he has described the track as still “vivid” in his memory after testing there during the summer.

Away from WorldSBK, the WorldWCR series is scheduled to switch from Yamaha R7 machinery to CFMoto 675SR-R motorcycles in 2027. The agreement is planned to run until 2029 and is intended to bring more power and performance to the women-only class.