Nicolo Bulega’s contract extension in WorldSBK with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will come of no surprise to anyone but the Championship leader also has an exciting prospect for 2026 away from just racing. He’ll become an official Ducati test rider in MotoGP™, supporting the hard work done by Michele Pirro and developing the new Desmosedici for the 2027 regulations change.
‘Bulegas’ was the 2015 JuniorGP™ Champion and soon a Moto3™ podium finisher, before moving up to Moto2™. A switch to WorldSSP reignited the Italian youngster and in his second season, dominated to take the crown. A step up to the factory WorldSBK outfit saw him join an exclusive club to win on his debut and eventually go on to win another five races – including beating dominant Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu in the closest finish of all time at Estoril – en-route to second in the overall standings. In 2025, Bulega has raised the bar further and is the Championship leader ahead of Razgatlioglu after five rounds.
BULEGA: “It is a part of a dream come true”
Speaking about the new role, Bulega spoke of his continued collaboration with the Italian marque: “I am very happy to take on the role of Ducati test rider for MotoGP. It is a part of a dream come true because there are not many riders who are given the chance to try the Ducati Desmosedici GP. It is a very important goal for my life that I achieve and I will try to make the most of this opportunity, also to gain further experience in the Ducati world.
“I thank Claudio, Gigi, Mauro and everyone at Borgo Panigale who thought of me by offering me this opportunity that I want to fully exploit to achieve concrete results. The future? I am only thinking about the present, about defending the colors of Aruba and Ducati in Superbike and when I get on the Desmosedici GP. What will happen next, we will find out in due time because the priorities are now clear”.
THE FUTURE: is this the start of something else?
Whilst Bulega may be thinking about the present, there will be undoubted ambitions to make the switch full-time. Davide Tardozzi, Ducati Lenovo team manager, spoke during the Aragon test prior to the news of his hiring for testing duty. He said: "Nicolo is a Ducati rider, a Ducati Aruba rider, but in the end, someone we’re looking at for the future. We trust him and maybe we’ll have some more collaboration in the future.”
His experience on Pirelli tyres and the understanding he has of their characteristics – will play a huge part in development for the 2027 machine whilst also putting himself in the shop window if testing goes well; WorldSBK use Pirelli, who will replace Michelin in MotoGP in the same year as the new rules come into effect.
DALL’IGNA: “This new role is a further incentive for him”
Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse’s general manager, was full of praise for Bulega and welcomed him into the MotoGP family: “Nicolo represents a winning bet for the Ducati Corse project. We started a journey together in 2022 in Supersport with the aim of making him competitive also in the higher class aboard the Panigale V4R. In his rookie year in WorldSBK he impressed everyone, showing his real potential and all his talent as a rider.
We are really happy to be able to confirm that he will remain for the next season with Aruba.it Racing but even more so to be able to announce his new role within Ducati Corse. With the imminent entry of the new tire supplier in MotoGP, Nicolo is a great resource for the development and adaptation of the Desmosedici GP to Pirelli. This new role is a further incentive for him to improve and grow as a rider, but also a great demonstration of esteem and trust”.
Whatever the plan for the future is, the WorldSBK Championship leader will certainly be monitored carefully over the course of the next 18 months, both from Bologna and beyond. Testing duty alongside a full-time WorldSBK season – potentially as defending Champion – means that the 25-year-old will be one of the busiest riders, something he’ll relish as the collaboration with Ducati continues.