Ducati on top of the world
There are still four rounds left until the end of the 2026 Superbike championship, but the celebration has already started at Ducati during the Donington weekend. Thanks to the top three positions secured by Nicolò Bulega, Iker Lecuona, and Yari Montella in all three races, the Borgo Panigale factory has mathematically been crowned World Constructors’ Champion, but that’s not all. Due to the dominance of the aforementioned Bulega and Lecuona, the Ducati-Aruba.it team has also officially secured the world title reserved for teams.
The five is also a magic number for both categories. This, in fact, represents the consecutive world championships won by both Ducati and the team, with the latter appearing for the fifth time in the teams’ hall of fame: “I am really happy for this fifth consecutive Team title, a milestone that is particularly pleasing because it better tells the extraordinary work done by our riders and every single person in the team, day after day, all together – said Stefano Cecconi, Team Principal of Ducati-Aruba.it – a heartfelt thanks goes to Ducati, Claudio Domenicali, Luigi Dall’Igna, Marco Zambenedetti, and all the people who work with passion at Borgo Panigale: you provided us with exceptional bikes, and with these you allowed us to dream big. My sincerest congratulations for your fifth consecutive Constructors’ title, a result that says everything about the incredible level reached by the Panigale V4R.”
Marco Zambenedetti, Head of Ducati Superbike Project
“The Team title and the Constructors’ title are a result of great value for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, for Borgo Panigale, and for the entire WorldSBK project. We are very proud of this achievement because it testifies to the solidity of the work done and the value of a group capable of always competing with great professionalism. The result takes on an even more important meaning because it comes in a season faced with a new bike, which the team has been able to understand, develop, and quickly bring to a very high competitive level. I want to thank the riders, engineers, technicians, mechanics, and all the people who contribute every day to making this project possible. It is a collective success, the result of competence, dedication, and team spirit. We celebrate it with satisfaction, aware of the path taken and already focused on the next challenges.” With this victory, Ducati also increases the record of Superbike World Constructors’ titles to 22 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026).
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Bulega the favorite, but beaten for the first time
Successes made obviously possible thanks to the riders’ performances, starting with Nicolò Bulega, who reached the historic record of 25 consecutive wins and remains the favorite to win the Riders’ World Championship (his first in Superbike): “It was a great Sunday. I thank my team for the step we managed to make also in terms of feeling compared to yesterday. I am proud to have contributed to winning the two titles with such a wide margin before the end of the season. Now we go on vacation, to rest a bit, but the work is not over yet.”
The one who interrupted #11’s streak in Race 1 of the English weekend was another Ducati-Aruba.it rider, Iker Lecuona. The Spaniard, besides ending his teammate’s unbeaten run (never defeated all season), also achieved his first Superbike victory: “What a weekend! I am very happy. We got the first Superbike win but in the Superpole Race, I admit, I made a mistake. However, it was nice to come back through many positions in Race 2 and finish second. I am very happy: I feel like part of a big family and this gives me great motivation.”
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