The Hungarian WorldSBK only returned to the calendar in 2025 but its immediate impact on Yari Montella was affirmatively negative; the Italian, though, has reversed that in 2026.<\/p>\n
Montella\u2019s results were not dreadful at Balaton Park last year, finishing seventh and 10th in the two long races, although he DNF\u2019d the Superpole Race.<\/p>\n
But the Italian says it was the \u201cworst weekend of my career\u201d, and so is pleased to have been able to qualify on the front row at this year\u2019s edition of the Hungarian World Superbike<\/a> round.<\/p>\n \u201cFront row is an amazing result after last year that I had really bad memories from this track,\u201d Yari Montella<\/a> told the WorldSBK world feed broadcast in his post-Superpole parc ferme interview.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my worst race weekend of my career and now this year, start from the front row is like a dream.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so happy, so proud with the team, with the work that we\u2019ve done. It was a shame because I missed a little bit the line of the last chicane in the first sector, but front row is front row, so happy for that and now focus on the race.\u201d<\/p>\n Montella also said that he is sceptical of his podium chances but he feels good with race tyres.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if we are able to fight for the podium, but we will try for sure because at the end we started strong this morning, I felt good with the SCX tyre,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Bulega \u201cmuch better\u201d than Friday<\/p>\n Championship leader Nicolo Bulega<\/a> came into Superpole under some kind of pressure for the first real time this year after Iker Lecuona<\/a> topped both practices on Friday and demonstrated strong pace.<\/p>\n Bulega, though, took pole by 0.6 seconds in the end and Lecuona was only fifth. For the Italian it was his fifth pole in succession and fourth of the year, and it puts him in the ideal position to try to claim a record 14th consecutive WorldSBK race win in Race 1.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n \u201cI feel much better than yesterday,\u201d Bulega said in parc ferme.<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday I was struggling a little bit in the entry of the chicanes, so we worked with the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cToday [is] better, so i hope to make another great weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n Baldassarri \u201cready for the race pace\u201d<\/p>\n