Nicolo Bulega after smashing WorldSBK lap record: ‘I don’t feel pressure’

Nicolo Bulega’s only blemish on the final day of WorldSBK testing in Barcelona was a small tip-off at turn one prior to taking over top spot from Danilo Petrucci.

The Race 1 winner at Phillip Island continued to show stunning pace throughout the second day of testing, ending with a new lap record.

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Again quicker than two-time world champion Alvaro Bautista, Bulega was a consistent presence inside the top three as he battled Petrucci and Jonathan Rea.

Speaking after setting his new lap record, Bulega said: “I tried for the 1’39 but in the afternoon, after lunch, the track condition was worse with more humidity; I think it was more difficult.

“I don’t feel pressure; it gives me a lot of motivation and makes me proud. It’s important to me because when you’re fast, you understand that we’re working in a good direction with my team.

“Alvaro [Bautista] here is very, very fast; last year, he was incredible! If I can try to stay in front of him, it can be an incredible result for me.

“Normally, when you have a strong teammate, it’s always good for the other one. It’s good to have Alvaro, he’s a motivation and your teammate is always the first one you want to beat for everybody.

“You have the same bike, team and for sure, if I can stay in front of him or him in front of me, it’s a good motivation.”

On the other side of the factory Ducati garage, Bautista struggled to generate the same pace and feeling as day-one.

“Already in the morning it felt more difficult than yesterday,” began Bautista. “Less grip in the tyres and I had this feeling all day. The feeling with the bike was not very good today.

“Physically I am back but yesterday I improved my feeling during the day, but today I started worse than yesterday and I never recovered the good feeling.

“I don’t know if it was track conditions but today I was not able to have a good feeling.”

Pushed further on what was causing him the biggest problem, Bautista said turning and generating punch off the corners.

Bautista added: “It was especially turning. I struggled a lot on the gas and I had to make a lot of force with the bike. The grip on the rear was not too high and was spinning. The bike never caught and went forward.

“The rear didn’t help me turn the corners so I struggled a lot. One thing is the test and another is the race weekend.

“For sure, in the test last season I felt much better and the pace was much stronger. But this year it is different and we have to work and try to understand why I had this feeling.”