Nicolo Bulega destroyed his existing lap record at Jerez in the Superpole session for the World Superbike season finale.

In the World Superbike Superpole session at Jerez, Nicolo Bulega obliterated his own lap record around the Spanish circuit on Saturday morning.

The Italian rider needs a perfect weekend to stay in the hunt for the World Superbike Championship and to overturn his deficit to Toprak Razgatlioglu, and he set out with a point to prove at the season finale.

Bulega topped all three Free Practice sessions across Friday and Saturday at Jerez, and then went on to claim pole position in the Superpole session, with a new lap record that was 0.967 seconds quicker than his previous lap record at the circuit.

"It is incredible, I did not expect a lap like this," Bulega told TNT Sports after the Superpole session at Jerez.

"Honestly, I did not believe in it before the Qualifying. I was thinking more like a 1:37.2 or 1:37.3, because last year I did the record with a 1:37.5, but this year to go nine-tenths faster is something incredible.

"So, I am really happy, I have quite a good feeling. It is not 100%, but it is not so bad. I am happy and I want to continue like this."

His first run in the Superpole session already saw him break the lap record with a 1:36.9, but he admitted that he knew he could achieve more in the Superpole session.

When the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati rider went back out on track, he made improvements to his lap time and set a 1:36.629.

"The first one, when I did a 1:36.9 was already an incredible lap time," he explained.

"But then, when I came to the garage and started to think about my lap time, it was not a very good lap. So, I thought if I adjusted some things, I could do better, and I did it."