Marco Bezzecchi
Alberto Martinelli has revealed that rival MotoGP teams have been in touch to discuss signing Nicolo Bulega for 2027, but his “priority” is to remain a part of the Ducati fold.
Bulega has built a close bond with Ducati since he joined their factory World Superbike team back in 2024. He even deputised twice for Marc Marquez in the works Ducati MotoGP squad at the end of 2025, following the Spaniard’s surgery after his season-ending shoulder injury.
Emerging as one of the leading riders in World Superbikes has also put Bulega on the fringes of Ducati’s plans for their MotoGP fold. It has long been said that Ducati promised Bulega a place on the 2027 MotoGP grid when he signed a new contract for the 2026 WSBK season.
The 26-year-old will also serve as a MotoGP test rider for Ducati in 2026 whilst they develop an 850cc bike for the 2027 regulations. But it is now looking increasingly unlikely that Ducati will be able to offer Bulega a move to MotoGP, either with themselves or in a satellite team.
If Ducati cannot offer Nicolo Bulega a MotoGP move for 2027, should he join a rival manufacturer?
Nicolo Bulega’s agent has received ‘requests for information’ from Ducati’s rival MotoGP teams
While VR46 are open to taking Bulega in 2027, it is expected that Fabio Di Giannantonio will earn a new contract after his strong start to the year. And while Ducati are set to put Fermin Aldeguer at VR46 in 2027, it is also said that Gresini want nothing to do with Bulega in 2027.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Nicolo Bulega from height to career
Bulega is still hopeful of moving to MotoGP with Ducati, but his agent Martinelli notes that the Italian will not wait “forever” for the Bologna Bullets to table him an offer. And if Ducati take too long, Martinelli will return some of the calls from rival teams interested in Bulega.
Martinelli told Moto.it: “It is a peculiar moment, with so many contacts that I can’t go into in detail [about]. We have to wait for the big names to officially communicate their intentions, and once the team leaders are in place, the teams will focus on their teammates.”
Regarding any approaches for Bulega, Martinelli added: “Not actual offers, but contacts and requests for information. At the moment, no one is offering you a contract. Everything is on hold. [Leaving Ducati would be] difficult, but not impossible.
“At Ducati, they know our priority is to stay with them in MotoGP. But it takes two to make a marriage happen, and if we do not receive an offer in time, we might resume contacts with other teams.
“We don’t know what the Borgo Panigale company’s priorities are or what their agreements are with the satellite teams, so we can only wait. But we won’t do that forever.”
Who among Ducati’s rivals are interested in signing Bulega for the 2027 MotoGP season will remain to be seen, as there are likely to be few vacancies elsewhere in the paddock for him. Bulega’s only hopes may come from other satellite teams having to find alternative signings.
Only factory Aprilia star Marco Bezzecchi, Pramac Yamaha star Toprak Razgatlioglu and LCR Honda riders Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira currently have official contracts for 2027. But Bulega joining any factory MotoGP team in 2027 would be a somewhat surprising outcome.
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