It was another standout weekend of motorcycle racing at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, with Italy’s Nicolo Bulega continuing his perfect start to the 2026 World Superbike season.
Bulega won all three races across the weekend, securing what is known in motorsport as a “hat-trick” – three wins from three starts. The Ducati rider now has 10 consecutive race victories – the best start to race since Álvaro Bautista won 11 races in a row in 2019.
Spain’s Iker Lecuona finished second in all three races, completing a strong weekend for the Ducati team. But for local fans, the highlight was Portugal’s own Miguel Oliveira, who claimed third place in each race.
Oliveira, racing in front of a home crowd, had to work hard to stay on the podium. In the final race on Sunday, he faced pressure in the closing laps but held his ground to secure another third-place finish.
Speaking after the race, Oliveira said: “It was a third-place frenzy this weekend, which is ok. I knew it was going to be really difficult to fight with the guys at the front, but we managed to be consistent. We earned three podiums, which are important to solidify and reward the team’s hard work. I know it’s only the second round, but we don’t want to finish third. I feel there’s some happiness in the team, but at the same time, we want to achieve more. It’s no kind of pressure, but we know where we want to be. There are still many races to come, I’m looking forward to getting the most out of the bike and myself.”
Behind the top three, British brothers Alex Lowes and Sam Lowes finished close together in fourth and fifth place, while Italy’s Lorenzo Baldassarri took sixth.
After two rounds, Bulega leads the championship standings with a clear advantage, while Oliveira sits fourth overall.
Championship standings:
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 124 points
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 68
3. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 60
4. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 56
5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 48
6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 43
