A second place finish for Nicolo Bulega in WorldSBK Race 1 at this weekend’s Estoril World Superbike round was hard fought after being set back early on, and with a lack of information available beforehand due toಞ mixed weather in practice.

Bulega expl☂ained that his race was about learning, because he hadn’t before ridden Estoril in full dry conditions on a Superbike.

“I think more than [second☂ place] today was very difficult,” the Italian told WorldSBK.com, “because it was my first full dry session of my life here in Estoril with🥃 the Superbike.

“I started well, I saw that I was fast, but I needed the point of reference in dry con▨ditions, so the first laps I had to understand a lot of things.

“Lap-by-lap I was getting more ♛confidence, and a good p𝕴ace with my bike.”

Bulega was set bꦉack after running off-track in a battle with Jonathan Rea, but recovered from there to rejoin the podium battle.

“I was coming back,” he said. “I🦄 was third, catching Alvaro [Bautista], then Alvaro crashed and I was second.

“Unfortunately, Toprak [Razgat🍎lioglu] was already goꦏne, but he was very fast today, like always. I think second is the best result I can achieve today.”

Although the battle with Rea cost him time — Bulega was 1.8 seconds behind Bautista when the reigning champion took second place from Andrea Locatelli — Bulega was able to prove h🔜is speed in the following laps, passing his way up to third🃏 and closing to the rear wheel of Bautista before his fall.

“I 𝕴was very fast, because I was really in the back,” Bulega said.

“I was coming, and I think I overtake Loka [Andrea Locatelli], and🌌 then Alvaro crashed in front of me.

“But I was very fast. I’m happy with ⛎my race, because I did the best I can do today.”

The result of Race 1 means that if Bulega finishes on the podium in both Sunday races, the♍ title fight — now mathematically between only himself and Razgatlioglu after Bautista’s crash — will go on to n🌟ext weekend’s final round in Jerez.

“I will try to do my best like always,” Bulega said when asked if he can take the fight to Raz🔜gatlioglu in the remaining races.

“It’s very difficult b🧸ecause Toprak now has a lot of margin [in the championship]. He’s very strong, so if he wins the title🔯 he deserves it, but I will try to do my best like I did all the season.”