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UK WorldSBK LIVE: Friday practice reaction after Bulega tops red-flagged FP2
Live coverage of the Friday practice sessions at the 2026 UK WorldSBK round at Donington Park.
Live updates from the FP2 session at the 2026 UK WorldSBK from Donington Park. FP2 is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time this afternoon.
Key Moments
- A crash for Tarran Mackenzie is shortly followed by a red flag; Mackenzie is later taken to medical centre
- Bulega takes command after 10 minutes as Ducati populates the top-six
- Lecuona leads early in FP2
- Bulega tops FP1 ahead of Lecuona and Sam Lowes
- Dixon goes down at Coppice after 13 minutes
Nicolo Bulega enters the UK WorldSBK with a 120-point lead over Iker Lecuona. The Italian is unbeaten in the last 25 races, including all 21 in 2026 so far. He also was victorious at the World Ducati Week Race of Champions last week, where Lecuona didn’t compete after his wife gave birth.
Bulega has never won at Donington, but was second in all three races last year to Toprak Razgatlioglu. He finished fastest in FP1 this morning.
Lecuona’s best Donington result came in his first year there, finishing seventh in 2022. He hasn’t been in the top-10 since, but goes there with Ducati this year instead of Honda, and was just a tenth slower than Bulega in FP1 this morning, finishing second-fastest.
Honda themselves have Jonathan Rea back on the bike this weekend as a wildcard. The six-time champion won the Suzuka 8 Hours last weekend, and is sure of where the WorldSBK Fireblade needs to improve. He was in the top-10 in FP1, marking Honda’s best result in any session so far in 2026.
Jake Dixon is also back this weekend for Honda. His previous attempt at returning from injury, at Aragon, ended after Race 1, but he thinks it was helpful to try to race there even if he had to withdraw from Sunday. He crashed in FP1 this morning and finished 18th.
BMW is also back to a full-strength line-up for the first time since Miguel Oliveira was injured at Balaton Park in May. Oliveira returned at Misano three weeks ago, but didn’t complete the final race. Danilo Petrucci is back this weekend after a recent test, and says he is almost back to full fitness. Petrucci was the leading BMW in FP1 but down in 16th, while Oliveira was 19th.
This weekend will also be the first since Marc van der Straten died, which Sam Lowes expects to make this an “emotional” weekend. It is one Lowes has started well by finishing third-fastest in FP1.
2026 UK WorldSBK – FP2 Results
Spoke to soon! Late lap from Montella puts him second ahead of Lecuona.
The chequered flag is out for FP2 at Donington and it’s Bulega who ends fastest ahead of Lecuona and Alex Lowes in the top-three.
Montella takes fourth ahead of Mackenzie, Bautista, Baldassarri, Gerloff, Bridewell, and Jonathan Rea who completed the top-10.
Alex Lowes now up to third so he takes that top-non-Ducati spot as well as disrupting the all-Ducati top-six we’d had for a while in this FP2.
Personal best lap from Rea after the red flag and he’s now the leading non-Ducati in seventh, albeit almost 0.8s behind Bulega.
Pit lane is open again at Donington with 08:27 remaining of FP2.
Pit lane due to open at 15:55 local time.
Still no session restart time yet but confirmation from WorldSBK that Mackenzie, unsurprisingly, will be taken to the medical centre.
TV replays have shown Mackenzie’s crash. He lost control in braking for the final corner and was slapped down heavily on his head. TV pictures have also shown Mackenzie with his helmet off and rubbing his head.
08:27 left on the clock for FP2 as the red flag paused proceedings.
Crash for Tarran Mackenzie at turn 12 and the red flag is out shortly after.
Into the final 10 minutes of FP2 now and the top-10 order is as follows:
- Bulega
- Lecuona
- Montella
- Mackenzie
- Baldassarri
- Bridewell
- A. Lowes
- S. Lowes
- Bassani
- Gerloff
Big moment for Locatelli down into the Melbourne Hairpin. Lost the rear in braking and almost high-sided, but just about stayed aboard.
Mackenzie had his own run-off down at the same turn a few moments later. A trip through the gravel for the MGM Ducati rider, but he’s able to continue.
Better session for Dixon this afternoon so far. No crash, for a start, and currently 12th, 1.1s off the pace, and just ahead of Rea in 13th.
All-Ducati top-six now as Bridewell moves up to the rear of that order:
- Bulega
- Lecuona
- Montella
- Mackenzie
- Baldassarri
- Bridewell
Moment for Rato as he runs on at the first corner. A quick trip through the gravel and he continues on his way, P19 at the minute for the Italian rookie.
Bulega now fastest and deep into the 1m25s with a 25.460s.
Lecuona and Montella also in the 1m25s after 10 minutes of FP2.
Good start also for Tarran Mackenzie in fourth, even if he’s over 0.6s behind Bulega.
Five minutes into FP2 at Donington and Lecuona leads from Gerloff ad Bassani.
Pit lane is open at Donington and FP2 is underway.
The weather war already warm this morning and it’s only got warmer this afternoon.
Just under 10 minutes out from FP2 starting now and we’re looking at 31C air temperature and 45C track temperature.
Here’s footage of Dixon’s FP1 crash this morning. You can see here how he loses the front while braking over the crest as he starts to tip into the corner.
Superpole has wrapped up for the WorldWCR class. Maria Herrera has pole position from Beatriz Neila and Paola Ramos.
WorldSBK FP2 is now 25 minutes away.
It was a fairly uneventful FP1 this morning at Donington. Nicolo Bulega ended fastest ahead of Iker Lecuona, which of course is WorldSBK’s default setting, if you like, in 2026. Sam Lowes completed the top-three for Ducati. Alex Lowes was the leading non-Ducati in fourth.
Jonathan Rea put Honda in the top-10 for the first time in 2026, finishing ninth this morning.
Rea’s fellow Honda rider Jake Dixon crashed this morning but did not require a trip to the medical centre.
It was a tough morning for both Yamaha and BMW. Remy Gardner was the fastest Yamaha rider down in 14th, while Danilo Petrucci was fastest of the two BMWs in 16th.
Welcome back to live coverage of today’s WorldSBK practices from Donington Park. FP2 is due to start in just under 45 minutes at 15:00 local time.
WorldWCR is currently on track for its Superpole session. Maria Herrera currently leading that session ahead of Tayla Relph and Paola Ramos.
2026 UK WorldSBK – FP1 Results
Live updates from the FP2 session at the 2026 UK WorldSBK from Donington Park. FP2 is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time this afternoon.
Key Moments
- A crash for Tarran Mackenzie is shortly followed by a red flag; Mackenzie is later taken to medical centre
- Bulega takes command after 10 minutes as Ducati populates the top-six
- Lecuona leads early in FP2
- Bulega tops FP1 ahead of Lecuona and Sam Lowes
- Dixon goes down at Coppice after 13 minutes
Nicolo Bulega enters the UK WorldSBK with a 120-point lead over Iker Lecuona. The Italian is unbeaten in the last 25 races, including all 21 in 2026 so far. He also was victorious at the World Ducati Week Race of Champions last week, where Lecuona didn’t compete after his wife gave birth.
Bulega has never won at Donington, but was second in all three races last year to Toprak Razgatlioglu. He finished fastest in FP1 this morning.
Lecuona’s best Donington result came in his first year there, finishing seventh in 2022. He hasn’t been in the top-10 since, but goes there with Ducati this year instead of Honda, and was just a tenth slower than Bulega in FP1 this morning, finishing second-fastest.
Honda themselves have Jonathan Rea back on the bike this weekend as a wildcard. The six-time champion won the Suzuka 8 Hours last weekend, and is sure of where the WorldSBK Fireblade needs to improve. He was in the top-10 in FP1, marking Honda’s best result in any session so far in 2026.
Jake Dixon is also back this weekend for Honda. His previous attempt at returning from injury, at Aragon, ended after Race 1, but he thinks it was helpful to try to race there even if he had to withdraw from Sunday. He crashed in FP1 this morning and finished 18th.
BMW is also back to a full-strength line-up for the first time since Miguel Oliveira was injured at Balaton Park in May. Oliveira returned at Misano three weeks ago, but didn’t complete the final race. Danilo Petrucci is back this weekend after a recent test, and says he is almost back to full fitness. Petrucci was the leading BMW in FP1 but down in 16th, while Oliveira was 19th.
This weekend will also be the first since Marc van der Straten died, which Sam Lowes expects to make this an “emotional” weekend. It is one Lowes has started well by finishing third-fastest in FP1.
Live updates from the FP2 session at the 2026 UK WorldSBK from Donington Park. FP2 is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time this afternoon.
Key Moments
- A crash for Tarran Mackenzie is shortly followed by a red flag; Mackenzie is later taken to medical centre
- Bulega takes command after 10 minutes as Ducati populates the top-six
- Lecuona leads early in FP2
- Bulega tops FP1 ahead of Lecuona and Sam Lowes
- Dixon goes down at Coppice after 13 minutes
Nicolo Bulega enters the UK WorldSBK with a 120-point lead over Iker Lecuona. The Italian is unbeaten in the last 25 races, including all 21 in 2026 so far. He also was victorious at the World Ducati Week Race of Champions last week, where Lecuona didn’t compete after his wife gave birth.
Bulega has never won at Donington, but was second in all three races last year to Toprak Razgatlioglu. He finished fastest in FP1 this morning.
Lecuona’s best Donington result came in his first year there, finishing seventh in 2022. He hasn’t been in the top-10 since, but goes there with Ducati this year instead of Honda, and was just a tenth slower than Bulega in FP1 this morning, finishing second-fastest.
Honda themselves have Jonathan Rea back on the bike this weekend as a wildcard. The six-time champion won the Suzuka 8 Hours last weekend, and is sure of where the WorldSBK Fireblade needs to improve. He was in the top-10 in FP1, marking Honda’s best result in any session so far in 2026.
Jake Dixon is also back this weekend for Honda. His previous attempt at returning from injury, at Aragon, ended after Race 1, but he thinks it was helpful to try to race there even if he had to withdraw from Sunday. He crashed in FP1 this morning and finished 18th.
BMW is also back to a full-strength line-up for the first time since Miguel Oliveira was injured at Balaton Park in May. Oliveira returned at Misano three weeks ago, but didn’t complete the final race. Danilo Petrucci is back this weekend after a recent test, and says he is almost back to full fitness. Petrucci was the leading BMW in FP1 but down in 16th, while Oliveira was 19th.
This weekend will also be the first since Marc van der Straten died, which Sam Lowes expects to make this an “emotional” weekend. It is one Lowes has started well by finishing third-fastest in FP1.
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