Overview
- Bulega led both FP1 and FP2 on Friday and set the combined benchmark time despite an early electrical fault that his team repaired during the session.
- He said the bike felt “too physical” and asked for setup changes after testing a different configuration in FP2 that helped in some areas but worsened others.
- Rider safety became a concern when Bahattin Sofuoglu crashed twice on Friday, was declared unfit with a concussion and was sent to hospital for further assessment.
- Iker Lecuona crashed in FP2 and attributed the incident to underprepared tyres while rivals including Sam Lowes and Garrett Gerloff showed competitive pace across the sessions.
- Bulega leads the championship by 133 points, making Magny‑Cours the first round where he can mathematically secure the 2026 title and turning overnight setup work and medical clearances into the key variables for the weekend.