Ducati has named its World Superbike championship leader Nicolo Bulega as a MotoGP test rider next year, putting him firmly in contention for a potential return to grand prix racing in 2027.
A former top-ranking protege in Valentino Rossi's VR46 scheme, Bulega had an exceptional Moto3 debut back in 2016 but struggled to scale anywhere near the same heights in Moto3 or Moto2 over the following years.
But a switch to the World Superbike paddock - where he first became a World Supersport champion for Ducati, then won on his WSBK debut en route to second last year and now leads the 2025 title race - revitalised his career, so much so that his MotoGP dream has been kept alive.
While his title rival Toprak Razgatlioglu, aged 28, is now widely expected to complete a long-awaited move to MotoGP next year with Pramac Yamaha, Bulega has signed a new WSBK deal.
WSBK 2024 title race
Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) - 527
Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 484
WSBK 2025 title race (ongoing)
Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 252
Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) - 221
But it is, crucially, a one-year-only deal - that comes with MotoGP testing duties attached and allows him and Ducati to re-evaluate their plan going forward ahead of 2027, when MotoGP switches to all-new technical regulations and Pirelli tyres.
Pirelli is already the WSBK supplier, so Bulega could maintain total continuity in that regard - unlike Razgatlioglu, who will have to learn MotoGP's current Michelins for a single year next season.
Bulega joins Ducati's trusty long-time tester Michele Pirro in the test team roster, with Ducati specifically citing his Pirelli rubber acumen.
"With the imminent entry of the new tire supplier in MotoGP, Nicolo is a great resource for the development and adaptation of the Desmosedici GP to Pirelli," said Ducati general manager and MotoGP tech chief Gigi Dall'Igna.
Bulega said the test gig is "part of a dream come true" and that riding the Ducati MotoGP bike is "a very important goal for my life".
But both he and Dall'Igna emphasised that Bulega's priority for now must remain on delivering a WSBK title for Ducati, with Dall'Igna saying: "This must be the only goal to focus on now. Then we will see what the future holds."
