Marco Bezzecchi
Nicolo Bulega made his qualifying debut in MotoGP on Saturday morning, and Neil Hodgson has shared what Davide Tardozzi would have been drilling into the replacement rider ahead of his long-awaited appearance.
The Ducati World Superbikes star was forced to try and make his way into Q2 after failing to secure a top 10 finish in Friday afternoon’s pre-qualifying practice session.
Bulega ended up setting the eighth fastest time in Q1, and will line up in 18th place for his first foray into the premier class under racing conditions.
The Italian rider was given the gig following Michele Pirro’s stint as Marc Marquez’s replacement atop the GP25 for the first two rounds of his absence.
Despite never having entered a MotoGP race weekend in the past, Bulega was able to outperform the results that were recorded by his predecessor, who qualified 22nd in both of his MotoGP appearances.
READ MORE: MotoGP qualifying results as Marco Bezzecchi takes pole at Portimao in Nicolo Bulega’s MotoGP debut
Neil Hodgson shares what Davide Tardozzi ‘will’ have told Nicolo Bulega ahead of his qualifying debut in MotoGP
Speaking on TNT Sports’ coverage of qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hodgson analysed Bulega’s chances of clinching a spot in Q2 during his first official session in MotoGP’s Saturday shootout.
The former MotoGP rider said, “I feel for him because it’s going to be tricky, this session, because this is where MotoGP is hard.
“I’m not dissing any other championship, but what all these boys are really going to be doing is sticking a soft Michelin on and just finding a second from nowhere. And they know exactly what it does.
“Being able to predict, preempt, what’s gonna happen underneath you, for Bulega, it’s still a voyage of discovery.
“I’ll tell you what, and I know this for a fact. Davide Tardozzi, he will have said, don’t do anything silly. As in, you don’t have to ride over your limit. You don’t know how this bike’s gonna react.”
The Portuguese Grand Prix is one of the most difficult circuits on the MotoGP calendar to make a debut at
Before he was confirmed to be taking the reins of Marquez’s GP25 in Portugal, Bulega was adamant about being able to take part in a test in order for him to be given the best possible opportunity to perform at his best.
The unique nature of the Portimao-based circuit makes it one of the most challenging circuits to race on, which would prove to be even more difficult if it is your first time racing in the premier class.
Ducati have told Bulega to just have fun during his debut. Similar to Hodgson’s comments, the worst thing that he can do is set unrealistic expectations for his first race in the category and come out of it disappointed.
However, the mind of a rider doesn’t necessarily work like that, and there is no doubt that the Italian rider wants to cement an impressive result in order for him to get a chance at securing a seat on the grid in 2027.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
