Second fastest on day-one of the 2024 WorldSBK season-opener at Phillip Island, Nicolo Bu𒆙lega confirmed his pre-season form by looking very strong, particularly in FP2.

The Italian went faster than the new lap record which was set by Andrea Locatelli in𒐪 FP1, as did Alex Lowes who topped the session.

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But it wasn’t a smooth start for Bulega, who was a🔯ffected by the high winds: “It was a strange and difficult day. There was a lot of wind and it was difficult, especially in the exit of the corner.

“Sometimes you felt the wind on the ไfront 🌊and it go light, so it was not easy to go full throttle. It was the same conditions for everybody so I tried to improve my conditions with the win  compared to FP1.

“I made a great improvement. I didn’t𒆙 h𝓡ave a lot of fun because I don’t like the wind, but hopefully tomorrow there will be less wind.”

A different setting was tried by Bulega and Ducati a🎀nd this was noꦉt aided by the conditions.

“We tried something different with the setting compared to the test,” add🦂ed Bulega. “It was difficult to understand because of the wind. 

“In some turns it helped you to turn or for braking, but in other parts of the circuit it was not a help.&nbꦬsp;

“It was not so fun because I 😼had to think more about the wind than riding the bike.”

While the top ten were all covered by less 𝓰than half a second, Bulega still believes that tyre management will be key.

Phillip Island i🐷s one of the harshest circuits when it comes to tyre degradation, and the new track surface has only enhanced that fear.

That’s why a mandatory pit stop has been confirmed 🌊for both feature races.

Asked about who could be in the mix, Bulega said: “I don’t know. I’m not thinking too much about the weekend. I just 🏅want to have fun and push my bike until the end of Sunday.

“Everybody is really close but I think the dif꧋ference we can make is from lap four or five until you change tyres. It will be important not to destroy the tyres.”