Nicolo Bulega admits Alvaro Bautista “is better than me” in key area

Nicolo Bulega took two podium finishes and closed to within 13 points of the championship lead at the WorldSBK Italian Round.

However, there was one key area where Bulega was losing out to his teammate, two-times WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista.

“I knew that Alvaro [Bautista] was very fast, especially in the last laps,” Bulega said after Race 2 at Cremona Circuit.

“He is always fast, but especially with used tyres he is better than me at the moment, because he has more experience, he has a different riding style.

“So, at the end of the race, he always has a better tyre than me, he can save better than me.

“So, I knew that. I tried to make a gap at the beginning, but at the end he caught me, he passed me. He was very fast.”

Bulega then paid tribute to his compatriot, Danilo Petrucci, who won all three races at Cremona.

“Also Danilo [Petrucci] was very fast,” he said. “Congratulations to him because at the beginning I tried to stay with him, but I take too many risks and was difficult to stay with him, and also with Alvaro when he passed me with two laps to go.

“So, I’m happy with this third place, when Alvaro passed me I think that 16 points are better than nothing.”

Those 16 points came after six in the Superpole Race and 20 in Race 1, meaning Bulega is now 13 points off the championship lead before Aragon next weekend. This despite the Italian not getting on especially well with the circuit layout at Cremona.

“I’m happy because this layout is not so good for my riding style,” Bulega said. “So, I have to think a lot when I ride, every corner I have to think what I have to do, so I’m not free to ride.

“I knew before coming here that this can be a difficult track for me and [it] was difficult. But in the end, two podiums in a difficult weekend is really good, so I’m happy. Now are coming three circuits that I like a lot, so I hope to be even stronger.”