Nicolo Bulega: Pirelli tyres make MotoGP more similar to WorldSBK

Pirelli’s prototype MotoGP tyres make the grand prix bikes feel more similar to WorldSBK machines, Nicolo Bulega thinks.

Bulega drove 900km from Balaton Park to Mugello after winning all three WorldSBK races at the Hungarian Round on 1–3 May in order to complete his first test with Ducati’s 850cc MotoGP bike.

The Italian had ridden a MotoGP test last October at Jerez, and then raced twice at Portimao and Valencia at the end of the 2025 season in place of the injured Marc Marquez. Then, of course, he was riding the 1,000cc Desmosedici with Michelin tyres, whereas in the test earlier this month he rode the 850cc bike with Pirellis.

The tyres made a big difference to the feeling he had on the bike, he explained.

“Last year, when I did the wildcard races, the hardest part was adapting to the Michelins,” Nicolo Bulega said on Friday at the Czech WorldSBK, as reported by GPOne.com, “because the tyres are very different. 

“When I went back to Superbike, it took me two or three days to readjust to the Pirellis. 

“This time, however, it was much easier, because I tested the MotoGP bike with Pirelli tyres.

“The tyres are still a bit different, because one is MotoGP and the other is Superbike, but the family is very similar.”

He added: “When I did my first MotoGP tests, the feeling was very close to that of Superbike. And this morning [FP1 in Czechia], getting back on the Superbike, I immediately felt at ease. 

“The main difference remains the bike, but above all, thanks to the tyres, there was no need for a major adjustment from one category to the other.”

Other than the tyres and the engine displacement, the main difference between the current MotoGP bikes and the ones that will be used from 2027 is the lack of ride height devices. This makes the prospect of moving to MotoGP simpler for a Superbike or Moto2 rider, Bulega thinks.

“For those coming from Superbike or Moto2, it’s much simpler because you don’t have to constantly think about the [devices],” he said.

“When I tested the MotoGP bike in the past, it was hard for me to always remember to use them. 

“But in last week’s Mugello test, it was great because I was riding a MotoGP bike but in a way it was very similar to a Superbike.”

Bulega took his 17th consecutive WorldSBK win at Autodrom Most on Saturday (16 May). It was also his 26th consecutive podium, beating the previous record of 25 held by Colin Edwards and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

The Italian remains linked with a MotoGP seat for next year, although nothing is yet confirmed.