It's official! Nicolo Bulega will make his MotoGP debut next time out in Portugal after being confirmed as the replacement for injured Ducati Lennovo Team rider Marc Marquez in Portugal and Valencia. Aruba.it-Racing Ducati rider Bulega is the 2023 Supersport World Champion, 2024/25 WorldSBK runner-up, and MotoGP test rider for the Borgo Panigale factory.
Bulega, who tested the Desmosedici GP for the first time on Thursday at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, will hit the milestone of his 100th race across all classes in the World Championship (50 races in Moto3 and 49 races in Moto2) as he takes to the track in Portugal.
Nicolo Bulega, Ducati Lenovo Team #11: "I'm very happy to be able to end a season like this one with a last-minute surprise. Making the MotoGP debut is the dream of any kid who aspires to become a rider. Plus, being able to ride the World Champion bike for the final two race of the 2025 makes everything even more exciting. It'll be a big gamble; I have no expectations. I'll take this experience calmly, especially because, so far, I've only been able to test the Desmosedici GP at Jerez. That said, I'm certainly motivated to do well and give my all. Thanks to Ducati and Ducati Corse for their trust, to Claudio, Gigi, Mauro, Davide, Stefano, and Serafino for making me feel their full support and to Team Aruba.it Racing, with whom we finished a season as protagonists."
Luigi Dall’Igna, General Manager of Ducati Corse: “I'm very happy to see Nicolo working on the Desmosedici GP. Nicolo has been part of the Ducati Corse family since 2022, when we wanted him to ride the Supersport bike. We believed in him, and he repaid us with two seasons as an absolute protagonist in Superbike, where he came close to the title and became our reference point as a rider. Furthermore, for next year we announced his commitment, together with Michele Pirro, in the developing the Desmosedici GP with new tires, and the opportunity to race in the final two GPs is the best way to begin working in this new role as a test rider. It will certainly be demanding, but I hope he'll be able to enjoy this experience: for a young rider, making the debut in the top category of our sport is a great satisfaction."