Marco Bezzecchi
Development of the 2027 MotoGP bikes is now in full swing for all teams on the grid, with Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega taking to the Mugello Circuit on Monday to gather some valuable data for Borgo Panigale’s engineers.
The Italian rider made his way to Italy following another perfect round for him at Balaton Park in the 2026 World Superbikes championship, where he leads the standings by 82 points after having won every single race that has been contested this year.
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Bulega has been tasked with leading Ducati’s development charge regarding the 2027 prototypes, and he has stepped up his efforts to join the MotoGP paddock in recent months.
He currently rates his chances as a 50/50, but the more time he spends aboard the premier class’s new era of challengers makes him a more suitable candidate for any team. New regulations are imminent, making every lap with the new bikes all the more important.
How Nicolo Bulega’s test times on the 2027 Ducati compare to Marc Marquez’s 2025 pole lap
Bulega was joined by fellow Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, as well as KTM’s test roster, Dani Pedrosa and Jonas Folger. The latter will be replacing the injury-stricken Maverick Vinales at the upcoming round of racing at Le Mans.
- READ MORE: Who is Jonas Folger? Everything to know about Maverick Vinales’ Tech3 replacement for the French GP
Honda were also reported to have joined Ducati and KTM at the Florence-based circuit, although their lap time data was not made available to journalists.
According to a report by GPOne, Bulega completed a total of 20 rotations of the 3.259-mile-long circuit, setting a benchmark of 1:47.2. His counterpart achieved a session-best of 1:47.6, while Pedrosa and Folger clocked in a 1:48.5 and 1:49.8, respectively.
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At the 2025 Italian Grand Prix, Marc Marquez, aboard the title-winning Ducati GP25, secured pole position with a lap time of 1:44.2, making Bulega’s benchmark with the 2027-spec prototype exactly three seconds slower.
It must be noted that, at this stage of development, Ducati are likely not to be prioritising lap times. Instead, engineers will be focusing on making sure that every aspect of the bike is working as intended before refining some of the finer details.
- READ MORE: MotoGP’s 2027 regulations explained from 850cc engines and aerodynamic changes to new Pirelli tyres
Loris Capirossi’s prediction on the 2027 MotoGP bikes is proving to be spot on
Bulega’s initial lap times with the GP27 seem to be in line with what FIM officials were expecting when outlining the premier class’s new rulebook.
During a 2025 interview, FIM safety chief and former MotoGP rider Loris Capirossi predicted that lap times would be around 2.5 seconds slower next season. So far, he is on the money.
Fans also shared their satisfaction with his prediction, with the overriding sentiment being that as long as the calibre of wheel-to-wheel racing remains at a high level, they have no qualms with the sport getting slower.
Of course, Bulega’s benchmark is likely to get even faster once teams reach the height of the development roadpath, which indicates that lap times could actually be a lot faster than what Capirossi theorised.
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