Nicolo Bulega downplayed the significance of his four-point deficit to Top Lac Lazgatrioglu at the top of the WorldSBK riders’ standings as they head into round eight. The Italian, who has led the championship since the first race in Australia, is facing a points gap for the first time this season but insists it won’t affect his mindset going into the Hungarian round at Balaton Park.
“To be honest, four points is nothing,” Bulega said at Balaton on Thursday. “We’re almost even, so I’ll do my best as always. My approach hasn’t changed; I’ll give it my all and we’ll see what happens.”
Bulega also expressed contentment in returning to racing so soon after the Donington round. “It feels good,” he noted. “A week off is better than a month, so it’s good to be back on the bike so quickly. We’re familiar with this track from testing on street bikes about a month ago, but riding it on a superbike is a different challenge, so we’ll see how it goes.”
When asked about whether the track suits him and Ducati, Bulega admitted uncertainty. “Some corners might favor us, others not so much. We’ll have to wait and see. However, I won three races at Cremona, which wasn’t considered our best track on paper, so I’m not focusing too much on that. We’ll know more after the first day.”
Finally, when questioned about the importance of winning the 1,000th World Superbike race, which will be held as a Superpole race on Sunday morning, Bulega said, “Winning race 999 would be good too, so I’ll try to win. What matters is winning, not the number, and we’re aiming to keep winning for many more races ahead.”
Fan Take: This update highlights the fierce competition at the top of WorldSBK and Bulega’s calm confidence despite facing a rare points deficit. Racing fans should watch the Hungarian round closely, as it could mark a pivotal moment in this thrilling championship battle, potentially reshaping the dynamics of the sport going forward.
