The world championship of production derivatives arrives in Portugal with Nicolò Bulega the clear favorite with Ducati and several Italian riders ready to give him a hard time. And the 6-time world champion Jonathan Rea will also be on the grid
After the string of victories of Nicolò Bulega in the first round at Phillip Island, the World Superbike championship returns to Europe for the long-awaited round Of Portimaoin Portugalscheduled for 27 to 29 March 2026. Even in the Algarve region, the Aruba.it Ducati team rider presents himself as the man to beat. In Australia, the Emilian rider showed off a brilliant form, beating the competition even on the flying lap and in the wet to underline a feeling that is now practically perfect with his Panigale V4 R. Few of his potential rivals, at the moment, can boast a similar level of understanding with their own bike, which is why it seems unlikely that anyone will be able to put a spoke in his wheels on Portuguese soil.
BMW challenges Ducati
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In 2025 the three races in Portimao were won by the world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, at the start with the BMW M 1000 RR, narrowly against Nicolò Bulega (maximum gap between the two at the finish line is less than 2 tenths). This year the German team fields two new signings who, also thanks to the hostile weather in the winter tests, are still looking for the best feeling with the bike. Danilo Petrucci he didn’t shine at Phillip Island and will try to make up for it on a track, the Portuguese one, which has given him great satisfaction in the past (primarily the two podiums in 2024 with Barni Ducati). Similar speech for his neighbor in the box, the local hero Miguel Oliveirajust arrived from MotoGP and author of an amazing pole-victory combination in 2020 in Portimao as an official Ktm rider.
The Italians on the podium
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However, the large squad in the 2026 Superbike boasts several riders capable of aiming for the podium honours. Axel Bassani he did very well in Australia, earning two second places for the Bimota by Kawasaki team to place second in the rider standings, 20 points behind Bulega. Good start to the season also for also for Yari Montella of the Barni Ducati team, comfortable second in the wet Race-1 at Phillip Island and third in the rider standings ahead of Luca Baldassarriwho also immediately reached the podium in Race-2 with the Panigale of the GoEleven team. Andrea Locatelli, pilot factory Yamaha, however, will be on the hunt for redemption after the meager haul of points on Australian soil.
rea back on track
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Among the drivers on track in Portimao there will also be an exceptional presence: Jonathan Rea6-time Superbike world champion, formally retired from racing at the end of last season. The Northern Irish champion will in fact be in the match with the Fireblade team Honda Hrc, who hired him as a test rider in the winter, in place of the injured Jake Dixon, injured at Phillip Island. For Rea it is a return to his origins given that it was Honda that made him debut in Superbike, in the last race of 2008 in Portimao. He remained with HRC until the 2014 season, then moving to Kawasaki with which he won his 6 consecutive crowns. His neighbor in the box will be the Thai Somkiat Chantraanother rider just taken from the MotoGP, making his Superbike debut after missing the first round due to injury. First appearance of the year also for the Englishman Tommy Bridewell with the Panigale of the newly formed Superbike Advocates team, the first Australian team to compete in this championship.
the portimao circuit
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That first Rea race Portimao 2008 also coincided with the absolute debut of this facility, inaugurated only a handful of weeks earlier, on the international scene. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarveso called in reference to the Portuguese region that hosts it, immediately impressed everyone with its impressive ups and downs, a characteristic that immediately made it very popular among enthusiasts also due to the “take-offs” of the motorcycles. The Portuguese circuit measures 4,592 meters and has 15 curves of various radius, of which 9 on the right and 6 on the left. The track record is 1’39.081, which is the pole position last year signed by Razgatlioglu.
Times on TV and streaming
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The events of round of Portimao will be broadcast by Sky channelswhich has secured the Superbike rights up to and including 2027, but the concomitance with the MotoGP Americas GP will mean a different schedule than usual. Sky Sport MotoGP, on channel 208 of the satellite platform, will in fact be focused on the event in Texas, with the Superbike which will also be split between Sky Sport Uno and Sky Sport Arena. Race-1 on Saturday 28th and Race-2 on Sunday 29th March are scheduled for 4.30pm Italian time while the Superpole race will take place at 12.10am. Go streaming they will be visible via Now and Sky Go. Tv8 will broadcast the two races on Sunday live and free, while race 1 will be broadcast on Saturday 28th delayed at 10.45pm also due to the space dedicated to the Japanese Formula 1 GP. Together with the premier class, the Supersport World Championship, the debuting Sportbike class and the women’s world championship will also take to the track in Portimao. We remind you that the times and TV channels are potentially subject to changes based on the needs of the schedules.
- 11.15 – Superbike – Free Practice 1 (Sky Sport MotoGP)
- 2.25pm - Wcr – Superpole (Sky Sport Arena)
- 15.05 – SportBike – Superpole (Sky Sport Arena)
- 3.55pm – Superbike – Free Practice 2 (Sky Sport Arena)
- 4.55pm – Supersport – Superpole (Sky Sport Arena)
- 12.10 – Superbike – Superpole (Sky Sport MotoGP)
- 12.55pm – Wcr – Race 1 (Sky Sport MotoGP, deferred on TV8 at 10.45pm)
- 1.55pm – SportBike – Race 1 (Sky Sport Arena)
- 2.55pm – Supersport – Race 1 (Sky Sport Arena)
- 4.30pm – Superbike – Race 1 (Sky Sport Arena)
- 12.10 – Superbike – Superpole Race
(Tv8, Sky Sport Uno and Sky Sport MotoGP) - 12.55 – Wcr – Race 2 (Sky Sport MotoGP)
- 1.55pm – SportBike – Race 2 (Sky Sport MotoGP)
- 2.55pm – Supersport – Race 2 (Sky Sport MotoGP)
- 4.30pm – Superbike – Race 2 (Tv8, Sky Sport MotoGP)
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