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Is this rider set to be the biggest loser in MotoGP’s wild 2027 market?
Nicolo Bulega looked set to be a fixture on the 2027 MotoGP grid, but those options appear to have vanished
World Superbike’s current dominator Nicolo Bulega’s hopes of a MotoGP debut in 2027 look remote, with his manager confirming “we don’t have any written offers” right now.
Next year’s MotoGP grid is set to undergo one of the biggest shake-ups in recent memory, with numerous high-profile moves reported and a number of top rookies set to step up.
Towards the end of last year, one rider who was being talked about as likely being among the rookie crop was World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega.
Missing out on the world title to current Pramac Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2025, Bulega made his debut with Ducati in MotoGP at the final two rounds of the MotoGP campaign in place of the injured Marc Marquez.
Despite the steep learning curve, Bulega performed well, scoring points in both grands prix.
Ducati has added him to its testing roster for 2026, as his knowledge of Pirelli tyres – which replace Michelin in 2027 in MotoGP – a vital asset in the development of the brand’s 850cc bike.
This all seemed to be building up to a full-time MotoGP step in 2027, likely at a Ducati satellite team.
However, as of the beginning of April, Bulega’s hopes of racing a Ducati looks to have vanished, while options elsewhere on the grid don’t appear to have presented themselves.
Many riders, few bikes, and Bulega is not ‘a first choice’
Bulega’s time in grand prix racing yielded nothing more than two podiums in Moto3, before he moved to the World Superbike paddock in 2022 to rebuild his career.
He was dominant in year two of his World Supersport tenure with Ducati, winning the title and earning a World Superbike ride with the marque for 2024.
Runner-up in 2024 and 2025, Bulega looks poised to dominate the 2026 campaign, having won all six races from the first two rounds.
However, despite more MotoGP seat time coming up in 2026 through testing, and his knowledge of Pirelli rubber, the 26-year-old’s manager admits his grand prix aspirations are set to be put on hold.
“As of today, we don’t have any written offers,” Bulega’s manager Alberto Martinelli said during the Portugal WorldSBK weekend.
“We’re talking to everyone, but nothing is finalised. There are many riders and few bikes.”
He added: “[Bulega] isn’t the first choice, otherwise he’d already be in.”
Ducati’s MotoGP roster looks like it will feature Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta at its factory team, while Fermin Aldeguer is to be moved to VR46, with Fabio Di Giannantonio likely to stay put.
Gresini, unhappy at Ducati’s decision to relocate Aldeguer, is reported to have agreed a new deal to continue running the Italian brand’s bikes.
Alex Marquez is due to join KTM, but Gresini is set to bring Enea Bastianini back into its fold, while Dani Holgado will partner him.
All of this effectively leaves Bulega out of the question for a Ducati ride, while the rest of the grid offers up scant opportunities for the Italian.
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Nicolo Bulega looked set to be a fixture on the 2027 MotoGP grid, but those options appear to have vanished
World Superbike’s current dominator Nicolo Bulega’s hopes of a MotoGP debut in 2027 look remote, with his manager confirming “we don’t have any written offers” right now.
Next year’s MotoGP grid is set to undergo one of the biggest shake-ups in recent memory, with numerous high-profile moves reported and a number of top rookies set to step up.
Towards the end of last year, one rider who was being talked about as likely being among the rookie crop was World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega.
Missing out on the world title to current Pramac Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2025, Bulega made his debut with Ducati in MotoGP at the final two rounds of the MotoGP campaign in place of the injured Marc Marquez.
Despite the steep learning curve, Bulega performed well, scoring points in both grands prix.
Ducati has added him to its testing roster for 2026, as his knowledge of Pirelli tyres – which replace Michelin in 2027 in MotoGP – a vital asset in the development of the brand’s 850cc bike.
This all seemed to be building up to a full-time MotoGP step in 2027, likely at a Ducati satellite team.
However, as of the beginning of April, Bulega’s hopes of racing a Ducati looks to have vanished, while options elsewhere on the grid don’t appear to have presented themselves.
Many riders, few bikes, and Bulega is not ‘a first choice’
Bulega’s time in grand prix racing yielded nothing more than two podiums in Moto3, before he moved to the World Superbike paddock in 2022 to rebuild his career.
He was dominant in year two of his World Supersport tenure with Ducati, winning the title and earning a World Superbike ride with the marque for 2024.
Runner-up in 2024 and 2025, Bulega looks poised to dominate the 2026 campaign, having won all six races from the first two rounds.
However, despite more MotoGP seat time coming up in 2026 through testing, and his knowledge of Pirelli rubber, the 26-year-old’s manager admits his grand prix aspirations are set to be put on hold.
“As of today, we don’t have any written offers,” Bulega’s manager Alberto Martinelli said during the Portugal WorldSBK weekend.
“We’re talking to everyone, but nothing is finalised. There are many riders and few bikes.”
He added: “[Bulega] isn’t the first choice, otherwise he’d already be in.”
Ducati’s MotoGP roster looks like it will feature Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta at its factory team, while Fermin Aldeguer is to be moved to VR46, with Fabio Di Giannantonio likely to stay put.
Gresini, unhappy at Ducati’s decision to relocate Aldeguer, is reported to have agreed a new deal to continue running the Italian brand’s bikes.
Alex Marquez is due to join KTM, but Gresini is set to bring Enea Bastianini back into its fold, while Dani Holgado will partner him.
All of this effectively leaves Bulega out of the question for a Ducati ride, while the rest of the grid offers up scant opportunities for the Italian.
World Superbike’s current dominator Nicolo Bulega’s hopes of a MotoGP debut in 2027 look remote, with his manager confirming “we don’t have any written offers” right now.
Next year’s MotoGP grid is set to undergo one of the biggest shake-ups in recent memory, with numerous high-profile moves reported and a number of top rookies set to step up.
Towards the end of last year, one rider who was being talked about as likely being among the rookie crop was World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega.
Missing out on the world title to current Pramac Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2025, Bulega made his debut with Ducati in MotoGP at the final two rounds of the MotoGP campaign in place of the injured Marc Marquez.
Despite the steep learning curve, Bulega performed well, scoring points in both grands prix.
Ducati has added him to its testing roster for 2026, as his knowledge of Pirelli tyres – which replace Michelin in 2027 in MotoGP – a vital asset in the development of the brand’s 850cc bike.
This all seemed to be building up to a full-time MotoGP step in 2027, likely at a Ducati satellite team.
However, as of the beginning of April, Bulega’s hopes of racing a Ducati looks to have vanished, while options elsewhere on the grid don’t appear to have presented themselves.
Many riders, few bikes, and Bulega is not ‘a first choice’
Bulega’s time in grand prix racing yielded nothing more than two podiums in Moto3, before he moved to the World Superbike paddock in 2022 to rebuild his career.
He was dominant in year two of his World Supersport tenure with Ducati, winning the title and earning a World Superbike ride with the marque for 2024.
Runner-up in 2024 and 2025, Bulega looks poised to dominate the 2026 campaign, having won all six races from the first two rounds.
However, despite more MotoGP seat time coming up in 2026 through testing, and his knowledge of Pirelli rubber, the 26-year-old’s manager admits his grand prix aspirations are set to be put on hold.
“As of today, we don’t have any written offers,” Bulega’s manager Alberto Martinelli said during the Portugal WorldSBK weekend.
“We’re talking to everyone, but nothing is finalised. There are many riders and few bikes.”
He added: “[Bulega] isn’t the first choice, otherwise he’d already be in.”
Ducati’s MotoGP roster looks like it will feature Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta at its factory team, while Fermin Aldeguer is to be moved to VR46, with Fabio Di Giannantonio likely to stay put.
Gresini, unhappy at Ducati’s decision to relocate Aldeguer, is reported to have agreed a new deal to continue running the Italian brand’s bikes.
Alex Marquez is due to join KTM, but Gresini is set to bring Enea Bastianini back into its fold, while Dani Holgado will partner him.
All of this effectively leaves Bulega out of the question for a Ducati ride, while the rest of the grid offers up scant opportunities for the Italian.
[analyse_source url=”http://crash.net/motogp/news/1092923/1/rider-set-be-biggest-loser-motogps-wild-2027-market”]