Nicolo Bulega “wasn’t happy to recover points” on injured Toprak Razgatlioglu

After making significant ground in the two most recent WorldSBK rounds, the biggest test of Nicolo Bulega’s championship credentials awaits this weekend at MotorLand Aragon.

Bulega took a double victory at Aragon last year in the Supersport class, but, as ever this year, this weekend will be the rookie’s first time racing at the Spanish venue.

“I’m ready and I like this track,” Bulega told WorldSBK.com on Thursday before the Aragon Round. “I hope to be fast. I feel good.”

The Italian has re-entered the frame for the world title in recent rounds, as he’s reduced his points deficit to Toprak Razgatlioglu from 92 points to 13 while the Turkish rider has been absent through injury.

It has not been the ideal situation for Bulega, though, who has effectively become a mathematically significant title contender, thanks to that small 13-point gap between himself and Razgatlioglu, but the journey to that point has been in the absence of his main rival and the current championship leader.

“I said at Cremona that I hope Toprak [Razgatlioglu] was good and it’s nice to have him back,” Bulega said.

“When a rider has an injury, it’s never nice and fun. I recovered a lot of points, but I wasn’t happy to recover points against a rider with an injury. I prefer to recover points with him on track, even if it’s more difficult.

“I expect him to be fast. When he crashed at Magny-Cours, he was on a victory streak, so he’ll be fast.

“I’m thinking about doing my job, the best I can do and then we’ll see at the end of the championship.”