Race 1 of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at Balaton Park was a historic affair, both for the venue and for one rider in particular. Nicolo Bulega led from lights to flag to take his 14th consecutive World Superbike victory, breaking the outright record previously held by Toprak Razgatlioglu and stretching his hold over a championship he is bending to his will.
Bulega got a clean launch from pole, but the early drama came from rookie Alberto Surra. From seventh on the grid he carved his way into second behind the championship leader, briefly turning a Ducati 1-2 into a remarkable Italian story. Lorenzo Baldassarri's race ended early after a high-speed crash at turn eight in the opening stages – he walked away – and Surra inherited a podium position before more experienced rivals began to swarm.
Yari Montella was the first of those to attack, but Surra refused to fold, diving down the inside at turn 11 and forcing Montella wide. That move opened the door for Miguel Oliveira to slide through into a provisional fourth, soon promoted to third when he picked off Surra at turn five. Montella followed through, then Pramac's Xavi Fores muscled past Surra under braking at turn one. Alvaro Bautista, the two-time World Superbike champion, then made it five through Surra, demoting the rookie to seventh in a span of corners.
At the front, Bulega was untroubled. Iker Lecuona's charge from eighth on the grid produced one of the rides of the weekend, eventually finishing 2.5 seconds back of his Ducati team-mate. Oliveira held off Montella for the final podium step, while Bautista ended fifth ahead of Fores. Surra closed out a strong debut top 10 in eighth.
Further down, Sam Lowes was forced into damage control. The Briton served a double long-lap penalty for a jump start before clawing his way past Tommy Bridewell for 13th at turn one and then Danilo Petrucci for 12th, eventually finishing ninth in a four-rider scrap led by Xavi Vierge in the closing laps. Tarran Mackenzie spent much of the race in the top 10 and finished 12th, just 0.006 seconds ahead of Garrett Gerloff. Axel Bassani had the heart-stopping moment of the day on the final lap, running across the curbs at turn eight and into the gravel before somehow keeping his bike upright.
The headline, though, belonged to Bulega. The number 11's 14th successive win takes the record outright from Razgatlioglu, and his 10th consecutive victory in 2026 leaves him one win away from equalling Bautista's record for wins to start a single campaign – a mark he could match on Sunday at the same circuit.
The winner himself was disarmingly modest about it all. “Not a bad day,” Bulega said. “Honestly, I'm not riding very well in this circuit because some areas of the track I have to think a lot what I have to do. I don't ride naturally, so it's a bit difficult, but anyway, another P1.”
Asked about the record, he added: “We work hard with the team from yesterday, because yesterday I didn't have a perfect feeling, but today much better. So I'm really happy for today. Record of victory in a row, so happy for this record, happy for another P1, and yeah, I hope to continue like this.”
For a rider who insists he is still learning Balaton, the streak is becoming the defining storyline of the 2026 World Superbike season.
