Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team) wasted no time making an impression on his MotoGP debut in Portugal after a promising start. The Italian qualified P18 on the grid, suffering a crash in the Sprint before scoring points in Sunday’s Portuguese GP as he substitutes for Marc Marquez in the final two rounds.
Bulega is a highly experienced rider both in the Grand Prix and WorldSBK paddock, with the #11 set to continue with Ducati in WorldSBK next season. Alongside his contract extension in WorldSBK, Bulega has taken on a new role as Ducati's MotoGP test rider.
Speaking during Saturday’s FP2 session in Portugal, Davide Tardozzi outlined their plans with Bulega: "He will be the guy who will develop the bike, because we think that Nicolo will have in 2026 the experience and the speed to do this with the tyres."
With the 2025 WorldSBK season now complete, Bulega’s attention turns back to MotoGP duties this weekend. The #11 has already had plenty to learn in the premier class, particularly with the different tyres. Bulega has had to adapt to the Michelin tyres in MotoGP, a significant change from the Pirelli tyres used in WorldSBK.
Looking at the replacement rides, Tardozzi sees them as a valuable opportunity for Bulega to gain more experience with the current bike and tyres before their attention turns to the new 850cc era in 2027: "These two races and the test in Valencia will give him information about the 1000cc bike and the Michelins."
And it’s not just the differences in machinery that Bulega will need to get to grips with. Tardozzi is already looking towards the future development of the bike: "He will have the opportunity to compare the new bike during the following year."
It’s shaping up to be a busy end to the 2025 MotoGP season. Valencia is quickly approaching – a circuit Bulega hasn’t raced at since 2021 in Moto2. All eyes are on Ducati with an important post-season test taking place next week. Join us in a few days and stay updated with all the action on motogp.com!