Nicolo Bulega acknowledges that he is not guaranteed to dominate the 2026 WorldSBK championship, even after Toprak Razgatlioglu’s move to MotoGP.
The Italian’s first two seasons in WorldSBK have seen him finish runners-up to Razgatlioglu on both occasions, but he insists the series’ newest roster moves could spring up surprises.
Bulega welcomes Iker Lecuona as his new team-mate, with two-time champion Alvaro Bautista joining Barni Spark Racing, and BMW revealing a new lineup of MotoGP race winners Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira.
With the next-generation Panigale V4 R expected to be an upgrade over the previous spec, Bulega is considered a firm favourite for the title, given his and the departing Razgatlioglu’s dominance since 2024.
“It pleases me to know that,” Bulega told GPOne about being the favourite for the 2026 WorldSBK crown.
“In fact, more than pressure, for me, it’s motivation because it means that others think I’m the most complete rider and the one to beat.
“In the end, I think it’s pointless to hide it, but every year, the situation can change because there are new things, like [Iker] Lecuona with Ducati, Petrucci and [Miguel] Oliveira with BMW.
“That said, nothing is a foregone conclusion.”
Nicolo Bulega believes he showed his ‘highest level’ in 2025
Bulega acknowledged that his 2025 performances represented the peak of his powers, taking 14 wins and 32 podiums from 36 races.
In addition, though a sudden late call-up, Bulega accepted the chance to replace Marc Marquez for the final two races of the MotoGP season at Portimao and Valencia.
“In this past year, I think I’ve reached the highest level of my entire career,” he said.
“I arrived in the factory team in Superbike, I fought for the title and I even did two stand-in races in MotoGP.
“I’d say it was pretty intense 2025 but above all, a very challenging end of the season.
“Mentally, it was difficult, because I never caught a breather. It was good, but not easy.”
Bulega’s 2026 is set to become even busier, as he will play a key role in Ducati’s development of its 2027 MotoGP bike ahead of the new regulations, with his expertise on Pirelli tyres expected to be a major asset for the Bologna manufacturer.
READ MORE – Ducati reveals future MotoGP test plans for Nicolo Bulega
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