Marco Bezzecchi
Nicolo Bulega has seemingly changed his tune on replacing Marc Marquez in MotoGP during his injury layoff, but has made one request of Ducati if the move does take place.
Marquez is looking at a few race weekends on the sidelines, at the very least, following a broken collarbone that was sustained in a crash with Marco Bezzecchi at the previous round of racing in Indonesia.
His own personal doctor believes it will take Marquez around 16 weeks to fully recover from the injury and has warned the seven-time MotoGP champion to take as much time as he needs to rehabilitate to prevent his injuries from becoming a recurring issue.
Luckily, the Spaniard had already wrapped up the title for the current campaign a week earlier in Motegi.
Even if he hadn’t, Alex Marquez, his closest competitor in the standings, would have to have been perfect in the remaining rounds of the term to claim his premier class title by the conclusion of the Valencian Grand Prix.
Nicolo Bulega thinks he will need to test the Ducati GP25 before replacing Marc Marquez in MotoGP
The Ducati Superbikes star previously expressed his hesitancy over replacing Marquez in MotoGP following confirmation that the Borgo Panigale-based squad would need a substitute.
Speaking to journalists at the final rounds of the World Superbikes season in Jerez, Bulega seemingly changed his mind over the ride, whilst also revealing what he would need to do first in order to take the reins of Marquez’s GP25.
He said, via GPOne: “It’s no mystery that I’ll try the MotoGP, since one of the conditions for the renewal with Borgo Panigale was precisely the possibility of being a test rider for the top class.
If the test happens soon, that would be great because it would allow me to get an idea right away.
“As for being a replacement, on a personal level, I’d love it, because I think anyone in the paddock would love to ride Marc’s bike, but the risk of making a fool of yourself is high, so it’s a matter you have to handle well.
“Doing a progressive approach, like what happened in the transition from Supersport to SBK, would make sense, and, in fact, I was then able to win immediately.
“I’m not saying the situation has to repeat itself, but having some experience first helps you from making a huge a– of yourself.”
GPOne also reported that Michelin are holding tests next weekend, which could offer an opportunity for Bulega to get his wishes ahead of a potential ride in MotoGP at the following round in Portugal.
READ MORE: Ducati Superbikes star finds it ‘hard to describe’ what he’s seen happen to Pecco Bagnaia in 2025
Michele Pirro is taking the reins of Marc Marquez’s Ducati GP25 in Australia and Malaysia
Ducati test rider Michele Pirro is currently subbing in for the Spaniard at Phillip Island, and Pirro will also fill in for Marquez at the Malaysian Grand Prix a week later.
The 39-year-old has been a part of the Borgo Panigale family since 2013, where he has been a staple of the squad’s testing team.
The role has seen Pirro compete in dozens of MotoGP race weekends in the past, despite never having a full-time ride with Ducati.
He replaced the injury-stricken Fabio Di Giannantonio at Ducati’s satellite outfit VR46 Racing for the final round of the 2024 term.
During his first venture atop a GP25 at a race weekend on Friday in Australia, the Italian rider set the 21st fastest time in both FP1 and the pre-qualifying practice session.
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