Alex Lowes didn’t think Nicolo Bulega would make 2025 MotoGP debut after Jerez test

A one-day test at a “damp” Jerez seemed to suggest to Alex Lowes that Nicolo Bulega would not be ready to make his MotoGP debut in 2025.

Lowes’ assumption was wrong, of course, with Bulega racing both the final two rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season at Portimao and Valencia, as well as the post-season test in Valencia, shortly after finishing second in the World Superbike standings to Toprak Razgatlioglu.

The British rider, who was in Jerez on the same day to take part in the Michelin World Superbike tyre test, thought that Bulega got too few laps to step into MotoGP mid-season.

“You’re sort of on a hiding to nothing, in some ways, because you’re against the best riders in the world, there’s no one on a bad bike – there’s some bikes that are less competitive, but they’re all very similar now, it’s not like what it was with bigger gaps years ago,” Alex Lowes told Crash.net, speaking at Motorcycle Live on 15 November, after the Valencia MotoGP Sprint which he had not seen at the time.

“I was there in Jerez when he [Bulega] tried the bike, I think he had about – it was damp, the track, it wasn’t fully dry – 20 laps.

“I remember, I was on the phone to my brother, and he was like ‘Do you think he’ll ride?’ I said ‘No, I don’t think he will,’ because, if he had a full day’s testing, or two days’ testing, I thought he might have a go, but to go straight into the weekend at Portimao with not much time, what are you going to achieve, really, if you’re honest? 

“People in that paddock, as well, sort of just as happy to see you not do well – that’s unfortunately how it is, unfortunately. Where would be a good result to finish? That’s why it’s dangerous to do it. 

“I think you have to not have an opinion on the face value of the result, and try to check the lap times, the consistency.”

On the conditions at the Jerez test, Lowes added: “It was a two-day Michelin test that was badly affected by the rain. I guess the target was to do one day on the Superbike and one day on the MotoGP bike. 

“He did three-quarters of the day on his Superbike, then, the same day, finished the day on the MotoGP bike. 

“It looked like, to me, it was more of a ‘Well done for a good year, and what do you think?’ That’s why I was surprised that he did it, because you want the best preparation, but maybe he’s happy. 

“I think he started the weekend at Portimao quite well. [Practice] was spits of rain, [FP2] was non-existent, then he crashed in the Sprint. You don’t get any time, do you, to get up to speed, so that’s why I was surprised. 

“But I think he’s a good rider, a fantastic rider, as they all are, there’s lots of riders that are similar. I think, if he had a full year on the bike, he’d do a solid job.”

Lowes, who had a similar experience Bulega in 2016 when he replaced Bradley Smith at Silverstone and Misano, added that he thought the Italian would simply wait until 2026 to begin learning the MotoGP bike, given he has a testing role with Ducati lined up for next season.

“I’m surprised he did it, he’s already got a test rider role next year, I thought he might use that to prove himself,” he said.

“But, at the same time, why not? You don’t know how many chances you get on a MotoGP bike. 

“So, I think he’s a good rider. I look at it different to a lot of people – my brother’s raced against Diggia [Fabio Di Giannantonio], Bastianini, Martin, Maverick [Vinales], Rins. 

“I sort of know the level of everyone, I’ve raced against some of them also in the odd race that I’ve done, I’ve raced with Pol [Espargaro] as a teammate at Suzuka. 

“You know, as a rider, more or less the level of everyone, and I think he’s a good rider. 

“I think there’s a lot of riders who, if you put them on a Ducati for two or three years in MotoGP would be pretty strong and consistent, so it will be pretty interesting to see what he does.”