Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi has revealed Nicolo Bulega “will be the guy who will develop” its MotoGP bike for future seasons.
Bulega made waves in WorldSBK in his rookie season for Ducati, when he finished runner-up in the championship to Toprak Razgatlioglu, a feat which he repeated in 2025.
Extending his contract with the Ducati WorldSBK team until 2027, Bulega also secured a test rider role for its MotoGP endeavours.
This role allowed the Italian to make his MotoGP debut in Portimao to replace the injured Marc Marquez, scoring points on his first grand prix start.
Bulega will join Ducati as a test rider for the post-season MotoGP test in Valencia, and Team Manager Tardozzi revealed he will have a big role in the development process going forward.
“He will be the guy who will develop the bike, because we think that Nicolo will have in 2026 the experience and the speed to do this with the tyres,” Tardozzi told MotoGP.com.
“These two races and the test in Valencia will give him information about the 1000cc bike and the Michelins.”
“He will have the opportunity to compare the new bike during the following year.”
Nicolo Bulega: ‘It would be a dream’ to earn MotoGP debut in 2027
Bulega himself has also revealed his 2026 test rider role has given him ambitions of earning a MotoGP ride for 2027.
Although Bulega will remain in WorldSBK as the title favourite, he has assumed the responsibility as Ducati’s lead MotoGP test rider ahead of the tyre switch to Pirelli.
Bulega admitted he would use his opportunities as a test rider to try and impress ahead of the 2027 contract cycle, but will still focus on winning the WorldSBK title.
“My first target is to win Superbike [in 2026], obviously,” Bulega said via Crash.net.
“I will have this new role, that I will be the test rider for Ducati next year for the 850, the 2027 regulations with the Pirelli.
“I think Ducati chose me because I have a great feeling with the Pirelli, great experience and I can use 100% of the tyre.
“So, I think for them it’s important, and for me it’s important because with all these new regulations, it would be a dream for me to debut in 2027.
“I have a great opportunity next year in the tests to prepare for my debut in 2027.”
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