Nicolo Bulega: Toprak and I “feeling very similar” on MotoGP bike
Nicolo Bulega chats with former WorldSBK rival and future MotoGP rider Toprak Razgatlioglu at the Valencia finale.
WorldSBK title rivals for the past two years, Nicolo Bulega and Toprak Razgatlioglu face a common challenge in adapting to a MotoGP bike.
Bulega’s debut came as a replacement for injured world champion Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati team for the final two rounds, while Razgatlioglu is making a full-time MotoGP move by joining Pramac Yamaha for 2026.
While the Italian was competing in his first premier-class grand prix at Portimao last Sunday, Razgatlioglu was taking part in a private test on the M1 at Aragon.
The triple WorldSBK champion then made the journey to Valencia for this weekend’s finale, where he will ride alongside the 2026 grid - minus Marquez but with Bulega again in his place - at Tuesday’s official test.
“Yesterday, Toprak came to my truck before the [Sprint] race and we talked a little bit. I think our feeling on the MotoGP now is very similar,” Bulega said on Sunday evening.
“We are struggling a little bit on the front, to understand a bit the tyres, because they are a lot different [to the Pirelli tyres in WorldSBK].
“You have to ride in a different mode. So we were talking about this and we were agreeing on everything.”
Bulega repeated his 15th place at Portimao in the Valencia finale, closing the gap to the winner from 32 seconds (including an off-track moment) to 26 seconds.
But the Italian was disappointed not to have been able to build on an eleventh place in the morning warm-up.
“Honestly, this morning in warm-up, the feeling was very good,” he said. “Then in the race, I don't know why, but I had zero rear grip from the beginning. I was always spinning a lot. So it was a bit strange feeling for me.
“It's difficult to say why because I don't have a lot of data. I just know that this morning the feeling was very, very good. I was three tenths from the first-place rider and this afternoon was a bit worse for the rear grip.”
Bulega aims to refine his riding style when he joins Razgatlioglu on track on Tuesday.
“I think especially this morning in the warm-up we did a step with my riding style and I want to make another one in the test.”
Bulega will be an official Ducati test rider alongside his WorldSBK race commitments in 2026.
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