Lecuona Sets Fastest Lap in First WorldSBK Practice at Cremona, Bulega Crashes
Iker Lecuona led the opening WorldSBK practice session at Cremona with a 1:28.278 lap on his Ducati. Teammate Nicolo Bulega was second but crashed at Turn 10 late in the session, while Lorenzo Baldassarri took third. American Garrett Gerloff finished eighth.
Lecuona's 1:28.278 lap edged out teammate Bulega by just over a tenth of a second, giving Ducati a strong one-two start at the Italian circuit. Bulega's late-session crash at Turn 10 came after he had already set his competitive time, and he walked away unhurt. The session saw several incidents, including a delayed start for Montella and a crash at Turn 13 before he recovered to fifth.
Baldassarri's late flying lap secured third for Team GoEleven, while Sam Lowes and Surra also dipped into competitive times. American Gerloff placed eighth on his Kawasaki, and Petrucci struggled to 22nd. With FP2 scheduled later Friday, teams will focus on race setup and consistency ahead of qualifying.
This session offers early signals for the championship picture, as Bulega leads the standings and will want to avoid costly mistakes on home soil. His crash, though harmless, may influence team strategy for the rest of the weekend. Fans and sponsors of the series could see tighter competition if Lecuona maintains this pace, potentially reshaping title expectations. The result may also boost interest among Italian audiences, given multiple local riders featuring near the top of the timesheet.