Nicolo Bulega: ‘I would have signed for second place behind Toprak two months ago’
Nicolo Bulega was left🅰 upbeat fo𒆙llowing Race 1 of the Catalunya WorldSBK round, despite being caught and passed by Toprak Razgatlioglu for victory.
Nicolo Bulega led much of the race as he stretched clear from the likeꦜs of Andrea Iannone and Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Bulega inherited the lead a few laps in when fellow rookie Sam Lowไes crashed out, which began a series of very fast laps from the Italian.
- 2024 Worl💝d Super🐻bike Catalunya - Race (1) Results - Toprak Razgatlioglu wins
- 2024 World Superbi🦂ke Catalunya - Superpole Results
Bu🌃t despite being in control for much of the race, Bulega eventually ran into tyre wear issues and be🐠gan shedding time to Razgatlioglu.
After being caught on the penultimate lap, Bulega lost the lead at turn f🔥ive before finishing just un﷽der a second down on the BMW rider.
“Honestly, 🧜I didn’t have a strategy,” said Bulega. “It was my first long race because in Australia we did a♍ pit stop.
“In the end, unfortunately my rear tyre was completely dead. It was difficult for me to manage and To☂prak was very fast in the end.
“His tyre life was a bit better than mine. Maybe I pushed a little bit too much at the beginning to overtake them because I was very fast🐓.
“Today, I think I le𝕴arned something. I will be more prepared next time.”
Bulega ꦜmade a good start to Race 1, something he struggled to do throughout the season-opener.
However, Bulega ♏was still pushed down order after being overtaken by Iannone and Lowes at the first corner.
Admitting he could be more aggressive, Bulega said: “The start was good bec𒆙ause I improved a lot from Australia.
“Then, in the first corner🍰; I don’t remember who it wa෴s - maybe Lowes - entered very aggressively and I lost some positions.
“I’m happy because I improved the start but maybe I can be a bit more aggressive in t𝐆he first few corners.”
Asked when he began suffering with his rear tyre, Bulega said he could do nothing to stop the gap to Razgatl꧙ioglu from dropping with three laps remaining.
Bulega added: “Three laps👍 to go. My pit board guy gave me the seconds and I saw🍌 3, 2, 1 but it was not enough to win the race.
“I’m happy because I’m a rookie and I’m only a๊t my second round.
“If you asked me two months ago I would sign for a second place behin🐬d Toprak on the last l𓃲ap.
“So it is a nice first two races for me and ꧙it’s more ex✱perience.”
