Nicolo Bulega: Ducati test role “great opportunity” for “dream” 2027 MotoGP debut

Ducati World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega says his MotoGP test role with the brand next year is a “great opportunity” to secure his “dream” 2027 step to the premier class.

The Italian made his MotoGP debut last weekend in Portugal with the factory Ducati squad, as he subs for the injured Marc Marquez.

The twice World Superbike runner-up is set to spearhead Ducati’s 2027 bike development next year, as his experience of Pirelli rubber provides a useful advantage for the brand.

This is all being done with a view to a 2027 race seat with the brand somewhere on the grid, which Nicolo Bulega says would be “a dream”.

Speaking ahead of the Valencia Grand Prix, he said: “My first target is to win Superbike [in 2026], obviously.

“I will have this new role, that I will be the test rider for Ducati next year for the 850, the 2027 regulations with the Pirelli.

“I think Ducati chose me because I have a great feeling with the Pirelli, great experience and I can use 100% of the tyre.

“So, I think for them it’s important, and for me it’s important because with all these new regulations, it would be a dream for me to debut in 2027.

“I have a great opportunity next year in the tests to prepare for my debut in 2027.”

Bulega “knows what to expect” for Valencia after Portugal debut

Bulega impressed during his debut MotoGP weekend in Portugal, in which he finished 15th in the main race from 18th on the grid.

One key issue he had was understanding how the Michelin tyres work, which led to him crashing out of the sprint as he approached braking too much like he is used to on Pirellis.

“For sure, now, I know what to expect,” he said.

“I know the front tyres, I know the rear, but here [in Valencia] it’s four years since I last rode in this circuit, since 2021.

“I’ve never ridden a MotoGP here. This track is a little bit small, and for MotoGP, you don’t have time to breathe.

“I think it will be a difficult weekend. But like in Portimao, I don’t change my mentality.

“I’m here just to learn and try to understand all of these new things, which over three days last weekend were not enough to understand, especially in a race weekend.

“If it were three days of testing, you can understand better, with less pressure.

“You can stay in the garage for maybe an hour looking at the data, then come back on track.

“But, in a race weekend, it’s not like this. You have to stay focused, you have to improve in a very small time and it’s not easy. But anyway, I will try here.”

Bulega was able to make use of the Ducati stable’s data to help him adapt during the Portimao weekend, though he admits it was not easy to put that into practice.

“Normally in Superbikes, I don’t look at a lot of data, because this year, with the Ducati, I was always very strong,” he explained.

“But here, in MotoGP, it’s different because I was at my first weekend and I was lucky to see a lot of data from Pecco [Bagnaia], Alex Marquez, [Fermin] Aldeguer, a lot of riders.

“But to see data and study is one thing, but when you have to do it at 350km/h, it’s a little bit different. It helped me, but it’s not enough.”