Nicolo Bulega tells Ducati “I deserve a chance in MotoGP”

Nicolo Bulega says he deserves a chance to prove himself in MotoGP, after continuing his unbeaten run in WorldSBK at Most. 

WorldSBK has seen many riders dominate the series at different stages, some of which did it across multiple years including the likes of Jonathan Rea, Alvaro Bautista, and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

But what we’ve seen in 2026, together with the last four races of last season, has never been done before, as Bulega has won 19 races on the bounce. 

When asked about his future, should Ducati decide against moving him across to MotoGP, Bulega said: “I think [that] now I deserve a chance in MotoGP. If I don’t get it, I don’t know. For sure, I will not be happy.”

The 26-year-old, who is also part of the Ducati’s official MotoGP test team, has been linked with a switch to Valentino Rossi’s VR46 outfit. 

However, Honda’s Luca Marini is also thought to be a contender for one of the team’s 2027 seats, which could come at the expense of Franco Morbidelli who has struggled for form this season. 

Then there’s the future of Fabio di Giannantonio, which looks destined to be away from the team, and Ducati for that matter, as the two-time MotoGP race winner is expected to join the factory KTM team for the new 850cc era. 

Fermin Aldeguer is expected to join VR46 next season, which likely means Marini and Bulega are competing against each other for the second seat. 

Rossi made it clear at the Catalan grand prix that he wants at least one Italian rider on his bikes, so if Aldeguer does join the team, that won’t change how the team views Marini or Bulega. 

However, Marini does have the advantage of his family ties to Rossi.

What’s clear is that the Ducati Panigale V4 R is clearly the bike to be on in WorldSBK. So if Bulega does not get his wish of moving to MotoGP, staying where he is would likely give him the chance to fight for many more WorldSBK titles.