Nicolo Bulega enters the final round of his rookie WorldSBK campaign at Jerez with an outside shot at the champ𒁃ionship𒈔.

Ov༺erturning his 46-point deficit to Toprak Razgatlioglu ove👍r the course of this weekend would make Bulega the first rider since Ben Spies in 2009 to win the World Superbike Championship in his rookie season.

But the Italian is pleased enough to have brought the battle th🍎is far.

“It’s incredible,” Bulega told WorldSBK.𓂃com of his final-round title conten🉐tion.

“I’m really happy because we come here froཧm a strong weekend at Estoril. I have a good feeling with my bike and Jerez is a track I like a lot, one of my favourites, so I will try to do my best.”

Bulega conceded that the only෴ hope he has of beating Razgatlioglu to the title is to win races this weekend in Jerez; although he also admitted that it’s a “surprise” for him to be still mathematically in contention at the final round in his rookie year..

“It’s very difficult but I think I have to try to fight for the win, especially because I need extra motivation 🎃for next y🍰ear,” he said.

“It’s a surprise for me, to be here at the last round and I can say I’m still fighting for the champ📖ionship.

“I never had this in my head when I signed this contract, or when I won the first race. I’m very proud. ꦡIt’s incredible.

“It’s my first year and I’m fighting with a lot of ꦿchampions and guys who’ve bee🐻n here a long time.

“Toprak [Razgatlioglu] is a World Champion, Alvaro [Bautista] is a two-tim♔e World Champion. To be in the middle of them in my first year, it’s fantastic.”