Ducati’s Iker Lecuona set the benchmark in both Friday practice sessions for the WorldSBK Italian Round at Cremona. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider finished FP2 with the day’s fastest lap, 1:28.108, after also leading FP1. His pace gave the team an encouraging starting point for the weekend, with the day’s running also showing a strong race rhythm from Lecuona’s machine.

Nicolò Bulega ended the combined classification in second with a 1:28.362, two tenths behind his teammate. That position came after a difficult day featuring two crashes, neither of which had serious consequences. The incidents reduced his working time, particularly in FP2, when Bulega spent a long spell back in the box. He nevertheless remained the closest rider to Lecuona at the end of Friday’s running.

Lecuona said the feeling had been good from FP1 and that the team made a small step forward in the second session. He also kept the focus on the next task rather than treating Friday’s result as decisive: a strong qualifying performance will be important before the race. At the same time, he acknowledged Bulega’s speed despite the Italian rider’s crashes.

Bulega described Friday as complicated, with the two falls affecting part of the team’s work. He said the problem had already been identified and that the team would work on a fix. His immediate priority is FP3 on the following day, as the Ducati riders continue preparing for the Cremona races.