Marco Bezzecchi
Nicolo Bulega’s Ducati World Superbikes teammate, Iker Lecuona, has detailed how the Italian rider can’t ‘sell himself’ to MotoGP teams because he lacks ‘charisma’.
The two stars of Ducati’s factory efforts in the production motorcycle racing category are currently locked into a very one-sided title fight.
As Bulega looks towards a potential seat in MotoGP in the future, he’s certainly advertising himself well as he boasts a perfect record in 2026. With four rounds of the season currently in the books, the Italian has won all 12 races that have been contested.
If Ducati cannot offer Nicolo Bulega a MotoGP move for 2027, should he join a rival manufacturer?
It’s clear that the 26-year-old has the skillset to compete in the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, but in a sport where sponsorships are crucial and personalities are becoming even more key, Bulega is lacking a little bit.
Iker Lecuona says Nicolo Bulega can’t ‘sell himself’ to MotoGP teams
During an appearance on the Duralavita Superbikes podcast, Lecuona touched upon the relationship he shares with his Aruba.it Racing teammate.
He said, “I’m just a very open person. To anyone who wants to be friends, I’m a friend. I’ve got no problem with that. He’s a very quiet bloke. He’s a very reserved bloke. I don’t have a bad relationship with him.
“I don’t have a bad rapport with him; in fact, I have to say that yesterday was the first time in Parc Fermé that the bloke came up to me and said, ‘How’s it going?’ We hardly speak. Hello, goodbye and little else.”
One of the hosts of the podcast, Judith Florensa, then chimed in with her take on the Italian rider, saying, “From the outside, it looks a bit stale, I mean, not stale, but serious, right? The guy has a bunch of consecutive victories, and you see him serious.”
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Is it ESSENTIAL that he moves to MotoGP next year?
Responding to Florensa’s comment, Lecuona replied, “He has no charisma. He lacks charisma; he doesn’t have what it takes to connect with the public. We need to sell ourselves, too.”
The World Superbikes paddock does not rate Nicolo Bulega’s chances of securing a MotoGP seat
With Toprak Razgatlioglu becoming the latest rider to make the switch from the WSBK paddock to its Grand Prix counterpart, Bulega’s results this season indicate that a move to MotoGP is naturally his next step.
However, it’s far from guaranteed. Ducati are struggling to fit Bulega into their MotoGP roster, which has led the Italian to be linked with other options on the grid, whether that’s in a loan capacity or a fully-fledged deal.
In turn, figures within the WSBK paddock do not rate Bulega’s chances of securing a move for 2027 because of the stark competition for seats.
It remains to be seen whether Bulega can land himself a spot on the grid next year. If he keeps up his perfect record in 2026, he may just force a move for himself.
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