The Bulega VR46 signing is official. Nicolo Bulega will join MotoGP’s premier class in 2027, closing out a journey that began at the VR46 Riders Academy over a decade ago. The Italian, who currently leads the WorldSBK standings, completes the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team‘s rider line-up for next season.
Bulega will race a Ducati Desmosedici GP alongside Fermin Aldeguer at the Tavullia based outfit. It is his first full time season in the premier class, though he already knows the bike, and tested for MotoGP as an official Ducati rider and filled in for the factory squad over the final two rounds of last season.
From Moto3 Wildcard to WorldSBK Dominance
Bulega’s grand prix career began in 2015, when he joined VR46 for a Moto3 wildcard after winning the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior Championship. He spent three more seasons in Moto3 before moving up to Moto2 in 2019. His path then shifted to production racing, where he debuted in WorldSSP with Ducati in 2022 and won the title the following year with sixteen wins.
That breakthrough earned him a factory WorldSBK seat from 2024. He finished runner up in his debut season and repeated the feat in 2025. This year the Bulega VR46 move has been building quietly as he turned consistency into dominance, with 26 wins from 27 races.
How VR46 and Ducati See the Move
Bulega called the move a dream, noting his history with the VR46 Riders Academy made the step easier on a personal level. Team director Alessio Salucci said the team has tracked his growth for years and is ready to support him fully. Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna praised his steady progress and called VR46 the ideal place for his MotoGP adjustment, while stressing the WorldSBK title stays the immediate priority. Team manager Pablo Nieto said Bulega’s WorldSBK tyre experience and recent Desmosedici GP test time should ease his adjustment once new regulations arrive.
With the WorldSBK crown still within reach, Bulega heads into MotoGP’s 2027 reset already among the paddock’s most closely watched newcomers.
