Nicolò Bulega Joins VR46 for MotoGP 2027 Debut
Nicolò Bulega will make his long-awaited MotoGP debut in 2027, joining the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and completing the squad's rider line-up alongside Fermín Aldeguer.
The Italian star, currently leading the WorldSBK championship, will step up to the premier class aboard a Ducati Desmosedici GP, returning to the VR46 family where his international racing career first began.
Bulega will make his full-time MotoGP debut next season, although he is already familiar with the premier-class environment. The 11-time? No, he has already gained MotoGP experience as a Ducati MotoGP test rider and also competed in the final two Grands Prix of the previous season as a replacement rider for the factory Ducati team.
His connection with VR46 dates back more than a decade.
Bulega first appeared on the world stage in Moto3 in 2015 as a wildcard rider with the VR46 Racing Team after winning the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship that same year.
He subsequently spent the next three seasons competing in the lightweight class with the Tavullia-based outfit before moving into Moto2 in 2019.
However, his career soon took a different direction.
Bulega switched to production-based racing in WorldSSP in 2022 with Ducati, immediately demonstrating his potential. One year later, he claimed the WorldSSP World Championship, producing a remarkable campaign highlighted by 10 pole positions and 16 race victories.
That dominant season earned Bulega promotion to WorldSBK in 2024 with the factory Ducati team.
He made an instant impact in the premier production-bike category, finishing runner-up in his rookie season, before repeating the achievement the following year.
Now, Bulega has taken another major step.
The Italian currently leads the 2026 WorldSBK standings after an outstanding campaign in which he has claimed 26 victories from 27 races, making him one of the most dominant riders in the championship.
From 2027, the focus will shift to MotoGP.
For Bulega, the move represents the fulfilment of a childhood dream — while also bringing him back together with many of the people who played an important role during the early stages of his career.
“Making it to MotoGP is a dream, because I will make my debut with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team,” Bulega said.
“I chose this team because I’ve always been linked to them: I was in the VR46 Riders Academy when I was a child, so I know everyone very well. Making this step with people I know is easier from a human perspective.”
Bulega admitted that his path to MotoGP was different from the conventional route, but insisted that his years in WorldSBK exceeded his expectations and ultimately prepared him for the move.
“When I started to race, I had the dream of arriving to MotoGP. Then, for many reasons, my career took a different path. I moved to WorldSBK, where I focused on building a successful career,” he explained.
“These years have gone far beyond my expectations, so we thought about making this step up to the premier class.”
Rather than setting immediate targets, Bulega wants to approach his rookie MotoGP campaign race by race.
“Now, I don’t want to set any goals. I want to try to do well, take it one race at a time, especially at the beginning, and do the best job possible.”
VR46 Team Director Alessio Salucci welcomed the return of a rider who began his professional journey with the Tavullia operation.
Salucci highlighted Bulega's development over the years and his current dominance in WorldSBK as evidence that he is ready for the challenge.
“We know he is a very talented rider since he was younger, and he proved that both in the past and currently, by dominating WorldSBK,” Salucci said.
“I think he is ready to embark on this new journey with maturity and awareness.”
Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall'Igna also backed Bulega's promotion, pointing to his consistent development and ability to maximise the performance of Ducati machinery.
Dall'Igna believes the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will provide the ideal environment for Bulega to adapt to MotoGP.
However, Ducati's immediate priority remains the 2026 WorldSBK season, with Bulega still firmly focused on his title challenge.
VR46 Team Manager Pablo Nieto believes the Italian's experience with WorldSBK machinery, together with his role as a Ducati test rider, could help accelerate his adaptation to the premier class.
With major technical and regulatory changes arriving in MotoGP in 2027, Nieto believes everyone will effectively begin a new chapter.
“Next year the regulation will change, and we will all start from zero,” Nieto said.
“His experience with the WorldSBK tyres and the test with the new Ducati Desmosedici GP as a Ducati test rider will help him adapting well to the new category.”
Bulega's arrival completes the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team's 2027 rider line-up, with the Italian joining Fermín Aldeguer.
For VR46, it represents more than simply signing one of the world's fastest riders.
Credit Photo : VR46 Racing Team
