Ducati confirm Marc Marquez’s replacement for the Portuguese Grand Prix as Michele Pirro dropped

Add as preferred source on Google

Ducati have now confirmed a new replacement for Marc Marquez ahead of the 2025 Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao, as the Spaniard continues to recover from injury.

The 32-year-old will miss the final rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season, as well as the official post-season test in Valencia, due to the shoulder injury he suffered in the Indonesian Grand Prix. Marquez injured his shoulder at Mandalika after a first-lap crash with Marco Bezzecchi.

Ducati initially hoped Marquez would return from his injury for the Valencia test, where the Borgo Panigale squad will field their 2026 bike on a track for the first time. But further tests on the coracoid process and ligaments in his right shoulder revealed surgery was necessary.

Ducati test rider Michele Pirro replaced Marquez in the Australian Grand Prix and also in the Malaysian Grand Prix while the Bologna Bullets still hoped that the Spaniard would return in 2025. But Ducati have stood down the 39-year-old for the Portuguese GP on November 7-9.

Ducati confirm that Nicolo Bulega will replace Marc Marquez at the Portuguese Grand Prix

Ducati have now announced that the 2025 World Superbike Championship runner-up Nicolo Bulega will replace Marquez in the Portuguese GP, for what will be his debut in MotoGP. The 26-year-old previously raced in Moto3 and Moto2, but moved to World Supersport in 2022.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Nicolo Bulega

Additionally, Ducati have confirmed that Bulega will replace Marquez for the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo on November 14-16. Bulega has described his sudden chance to record his debut in MotoGP as Marquez’s replacement as a “dream”.

“I’m very happy to be able to end a season like this one with a last-minute surprise,” Bulega said. “Making the MotoGP debut is the dream of any kid who aspires to become a rider.”

Bulega has ridden for the factory Ducati WSBK team since the 2024 campaign, when he also finished second in the standings to Toprak Razgatlioglu. The Italian missed out on the title in 2024 by 43 points and in 2025 by 16 points after taking the fight to the final race of the year.

Now, Bulega will replace Marquez in the MotoGP Portuguese GP, having impressed Ducati in a private test on a Desmosedici GP25 at Jerez this Thursday. Bulega set a 1:38.0 lap time at Jerez on Ducati’s MotoGP bike for his best effort throughout the three-hour session in Spain.

Bulega replaces Pirro as Marquez’s injury replacement after the veteran test rider struggled. Pirro only secured P18 in the Australian GP at Phillip Island and finished the Malaysian GP at Sepang in P17, as the final rider still running at the chequered flag during both Grands Prix.

Nicolo Bulega is on Ducati’s radar for a 2027 MotoGP contract ahead of his 2026 test rider role

Ducati have chosen to now field Bulega as Marquez’s injury replacement as a reward for his 2025 World Superbike Championship title challenge. The runner-up scored 14 wins from 36 races, including trebles in Australia at Phillip Island, in Italy at Cremona and in Spain at Jerez.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend

Bulega demanded that Ducati allowed him to test their MotoGP bike before he would agree to replace Marquez for the Portuguese GP, in what will be his premier class debut. He knew that jumping straight onto a GP25 at Portimao could see the World Superbike rider struggle.

It is also said that Bulega privately has fears about replacing Marquez. Bulega is worried that failing to perform through his stand-in outings with the factory Ducati squad might harm the Montecchio Emilia native’s chances of securing a full-time MotoGP ride for the 2027 season.

Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna is considering Bulega for a 2027 MotoGP ride, having been impressed by his performances for the brand’s World Superbike outfit. Bulega will also be an official 2026 Ducati MotoGP test rider to help them prepare for the 2027 regulations.

Now, Bulega has an early chance to show Ducati how quickly he can adapt to a very different bike to the Panigale V4R he rides in the WSBK championship. But Ducati are not expected to use Bulega’s results at the 2025 Portuguese GP to judge his potential for a move to MotoGP.