Ducati brought Bulega over from the World Superbike Championship to MotoGP for the final two rounds after losing Marc Marquez due to injury. Test rider Michele Pirro initially stood in for Marquez for two races while Bulega saw out his duties with Ducati’s works WSBK squad.
Bulega’s MotoGP debut in Portugal and the 2025 finale in Valencia offered the 26-year-old a taste of what his life could be like in 2027. The Italian signed a new WSBK contract for Ducati for 2026 in June that also includes a MotoGP test rider role, which may be a stepping stone.
Ducati have decisions to make over most of their MotoGP rider stable, as Marquez, Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio are all out of contract at the end of 2026. Fermin Aldeguer is on a two-year factory deal to race for Gresini, but his terms include options for 2027 and 2028.
VR46 are Nicolo Bulega’s preferred back-up in case Ducati retain Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati are expected to be at the very heart of the MotoGP rider market in 2026 due to the situations of their factory-contracted riders.
And GPOne reports that Bulega’s ‘dream’ is to move from Ducati’s factory World Superbike team straight into their factory MotoGP team.
But Bulega must first wait to see what Ducati decide to do with Bagnaia, as any negotiations to re-sign the two-time MotoGP champion will take place before the Borgo Panigale natives consider the 2025 WSBK runner-up’s future. So, Bulega is also weighing up the alternatives.
Bulega is paying close attention to the satellite Ducati teams, VR46 and Gresini, as they may also have seats in 2027. VR46 gave Franco Morbidelli a new contract for 2026 in September, and Ducati must decide Di Giannantonio’s future and whether to leave him at VR46 in 2027.
VR46 would be Bulega’s clear preferred back-up option, should Ducati prefer that he moves to MotoGP with a satellite team in 2027. Gresini could also become an option for Bulega in 2027, as Alex Marquez is currently set to be out of contract directly with the team in 2026.
VR46 could leave the Ducati satellite stable after the 2026 MotoGP season
Morbidelli and Di Giannantonio’s futures at VR46 beyond 2026 might not be the only topics on Bulega’s mind, as he monitors the situation at Valentino Rossi’s team in case Ducati look elsewhere for their 2027 rider line-up. VR46’s future in the Ducati ecosystem is also unclear.
VR46 could leave Ducati and become a satellite Aprilia team in 2027, as their contract to be a satellite Ducati team is also due to expire in 2026. It is also said that Trackhouse could join Honda as a satellite team in 2027, which could free the two satellite Aprilia RS-GPs for VR46.
Should VR46 leave the Ducati fold, then Bulega’s back-up plan for in case Bagnaia secures a new contract for the Bologna Bullets’ factory squad would have to change. There remains a chance that Bulega does secure his dream move to MotoGP in Ducati’s works team, though.
Ducati could sign Bulega and Pedro Acosta for 2027, having promised the former that he will move to MotoGP at the start of the new regulations cycle.
The Borgo Panigale outfit are also now widely believed to be Acosta’s destination if the Spaniard quits KTM at the end of 2026.
