Nicolo Bulega secured the 2026 WorldSBK title at Cremona in front of his home crowd, with two race weekends still to come. His campaign was remarkably consistent: whenever he failed to win, he finished second, making four runner-up results the only exceptions to a season otherwise dominated by victories.

The next assignment is a move into MotoGP with VR46 Ducati in 2027, where Valentino Rossi is expected to become Bulega’s team manager. Their connection predates the planned move: Bulega was part of the VR46 Riders’ Academy before switching to the WorldSBK paddock in 2022. Ducati also signed him as a test rider for its 850cc project in 2026, giving the Italian a testing role alongside his successful Superbike campaign.

Rossi’s message and Bulega’s approach

After the title was secured, Rossi congratulated Bulega on the work behind his achievement and urged him to keep his attention on the responsibilities ahead. Bulega understands why that matters. A season in which second place can feel like failure may distort a rider’s sense of what is normal, and the expectations created by WorldSBK dominance do not automatically transfer to MotoGP.

The rookie is therefore avoiding a fixed target for his first premier-class season. He expects a steep learning process and recognises that the level will be extremely high, so he is not counting on seeing his name at the top every week. His plan is more practical: work hard, focus on the details and use every race to move closer to the front.