Nicolo Bulega says that aerodynamic factors could give him the edge over former rival Toprak Razgatlioglu when he joins the MotoGP class.
Bulega and Razgatlioglu started their rivalry in WorldSBK, with the Italian pushing the Turkish rider all the way before he claimed his final two titles in the championship in 2024 and 2025.
However, Bulega has since dominated WorldSBK after Razgatlioglu’s departure to MotoGP, although the pair are set to reunite in 2027.
Bulega confirmed his signing with the VR46 Ducati team for the 2027 MotoGP season, which means he will once again be competing alongside Razgatlioglu.
In fact, Bulega has admitted his on-track battles with Razgatlioglu helped him grow as a rider and has fond memories of their battles in WorldSBK.
“I learned a lot from Toprak,” Bulega said via GPOne. “Last year we had a bike that wasn’t old, but it wasn’t as new as the one we have now either. This bike represents a huge step forward.
“Toprak was very strong, and I learned a lot from him. When I saw him go on to win, it brought back memories of some of the battles we had last year.”
However, despite the respect the pair have for each other, Bulega has revealed he believes his riding style may be better suited to MotoGP than his Turkish counterpart.
Although Razgatlioglu will have a season’s worth of experience over Bulega in 2027, the Ducati rider has tested countless laps for the Italian manufacturer’s 850cc project and brings recent intel on the Pirelli tyres.
Bulega admitted the difference between the pair’s riding style comes in their corner entry, and given his relative speed in the middle of corners, he believes this may be what gives him the edge when joining from WorldSBK.
“Toprak and I have very different riding styles. If you recall, last year he was very strong, especially in certain phases, while I had a different strength.
“I ride aggressively, but not in the same way as Toprak. My speed through the middle of the corner is better and in MotoGP, with all this aerodynamics, you have to be very fast right in the middle of the turn.
“That’s why, if I move to MotoGP, not that I’m saying it will be easy, but maybe my riding style could be a better fit for this type of bike.”
Discussion about this post