MotoGP testing role “very important” in Nicolo Bulega’s Ducati WorldSBK renewal

After re-signing for Ducati in WorldSBK earlier this week, Nicolo Bulega heads to Misano this weekend where he defends a 31-point lead in the riders’ standings.

Bulega, who entered World Championship racing in the grand prix paddock back in 2016, has spent his entire production racing career with Ducati since moving to WorldSSP in 2022.

It’s a partnership that yielded a World Supersport Championship title in 2023 before Bulega finished as runner-up in his maiden World Superbike season.

The Italian’s strong start to the 2025 season meant his renewal with Ducati was almost certain, but its announcement ahead of this weekend’s WorldSBK race in Misano ended speculation over his future that included links with BMW.

“I’m really happy to continue with my team because it was my goal from the first moment,” Nicolo Bulega told WorldSBK.com on Thursday ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Round.

“When I started to talk with my manager, our goal was to stay here in Ducati.

“I’m here from 2022, and also next year I will be a part of this family, so I’m really happy and I hope to achieve great results together.”

Bulega added that the MotoGP testing programme included in his 2026 contract was a “very important” aspect of him renewing with the Bologna factory.

“It was very important for me because as a rider I always want to try to find a limit of where I can arrive as a rider,” he said.

“So for me, as a rider, it was important to speak with Ducati and put on the table also a MotoGP testing programme. It was very special for me.

“At the end, we found this solution for next year.

“I’m really happy and I’m looking forward to trying it because it will be interesting to try it, even with the Pirelli – it will be good.

“I’m happy. This helps for the future but I want to stay focused on this year.”

Misano win “can be even more special than Cremona”

The Misano round arrives for Bulega at an interesting moment in the championship, after the Italian beat his main title rival, reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, in Race 2 at Most – one of Razgatlioglu’s best circuits.

“Most was very special, the last lap I did 200 per cent,” Bulega said, reflecting on his Race 2 win at the Czech Round.

“I tried to recover some metres to Toprak [Razgatlioglu] in the last lap, and then in the last corner I did it with my eyes closed and I exited very well.

“I don’t know if Toprak had a problem, but anyway the important [thing] is to take 25 points and arrive here still leading the championship is very important.”

Bulega added that a victory in Misano could be “even more special” than his trio of wins in Cremona earlier this year.

“Winning here can be even more special than Cremona because this is my home race – I live very close to here in Misano and I have many friends coming here to support me,” he said.

Bulega, though, has some concerns to contend with this weekend after the test a couple of weeks ago.

The Italian ended the test fastest and under the lap record, but he has some “feeling” issues to resolve.

“In the test, my feeling was good but honestly not 100 per cent, we had some problems [that we hope] to fix for this race – not big problems, just feeling problems that I can go faster [without being at] 150 per cent every lap like I did in the test,” he said.

“So, I would like to be fast but a bit more comfortable – this, you can do it with the feeling and I hope Ducati worked very well from the test to here and try to be a bit faster.”