Podcast: What to expect from a forgotten VR46 protege’s MotoGP debut

Ducati will field a new star on the MotoGP grid for the first time at the Portuguese Grand Prix, as it gives Nicolo Bulega his debut in the premier class.

The Italian manufacturer has been left with a major hole to fill in its factory line-up, after seven-time world champion Marc Marquez suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last month.

For the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix, Ducati drafted in test rider Michele Pirro to deputise on the No.93’s side of the garage.

Following a test at Jerez last week, Ducati has now greenlit World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega to fill in for Marquez at the final two rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season.

Bulega’s path to the MotoGP starting grid is a winding one. A former protege of Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Academy, his time in Moto2 and Moto3 failed to live up to the potential he had.

A side step to the World Superbike paddock in 2022 with Ducati in World Supersport energised his career, with Bulega a world champion in Supersport in 2023.

He made his World Superbike debut in 2024 with Ducati and won first time of asking in his debut weekend. He has been runner-up in the championship the last two years.

Remaining a Ducati rider in World Superbikes for next year, Bulega will become part of the brand’s MotoGP test roster with a view to 2027 development and a potential race seat at one of its teams.

Before that, he will make his MotoGP debut at Portimao aboard the GP25.

On this week’s Crash MotoGP Podcast, the team discuss what to expect from Bulega on his debut.

They also look elsewhere on the grid and try to predict the pecking order for this weekend’s 21st round of the season.

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“It’s big news,” Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren said. “Normally, when we get these replacements, especially at Ducati in recent years, it’s been [riders] at the other end of their MotoGP careers: Iannone, Pirro, Petrucci, Bautista, guys who are coming back as something of a present. They’re not trying to launch a full-time career, whereas this is very different with Bulega. He’s already on that path to a ’27 Ducati MotoGP seat. He’s got the chance to build over six days on track. He had the test behind closed doors at Jerez, the weather wasn’t too good. Maybe 30 laps, I heard high 1m39s maybe. So, that’s a couple of seconds off the pace. It’s an interesting situation for him because he’s been thrown into the deep end, getting on Marc Marquez’s bike, the championship-winning bike. He’s got to resist the urge to push too hard…”