Neil Hodgson has issued a bold prediction in that he thinks Nicolo Bulega will be a “dark horse” during his rookie campaign on the MotoGP grid, highlighting how he has seen a trait of Jorge Lorenzo’s in the Italian rider.
The 2026 World Superbikes championship leader has been heavily linked with a seat at Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Racing outfit for the 2027 term, with it currently understood that Ducati are finalising some discrepancies in Bulega’s proposed deal.
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Through his duties as Ducati’s test rider for the MotoGP team, Bulega has already been gaining experience on the bike he has been tipped to be riding next year. In fact, he is arguably the most well-prepared rider within Ducati’s stable for 2027 due to it.
That is just one of the many reasons why MotoGP pundit Neil Hodgson believes the Italian will excel during his rookie season in the premier class next year.
Neil Hodgson sees stark similarities between Nicolo Bulega’s and Jorge Lorenzo’s riding style
Speaking via the latest episode of the Gas It Out podcast, Hodgson issued the bold prediction during a discussion over which teams the cast reckons will hit the ground running in MotoGP’s new era of regulations next year.
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Of course, Ducati are expected to do well due to their dominance in recent years, but a brand new set of technical regulations puts everything into the unknown. Still, Hodgson is confident that Bulega will be a standout star.
“I tell you what, we’re well aware that Bulega’s doing the testing for the 850cc, but what a strong position he’s going to be in at the start of this next season,” the 2003 World Superbikes title-winner began.
“He’s going to be riding for VR46… It sounds like it’s 95% done. So, not only has he got, let’s say, 1,000 laps under his belt, and this is the best bit, essentially he’s developed the bike for his riding style.
“Think of how Bulega rides a Superbike. He rides it in a particular way, unlike anyone else. He’s so smooth. He’s very Jorge Lorenzo-esque in how he rides a bike with the wheels in line, and he sits really far back in the braking zones.
“All of his comments are going to steer the bike in his direction, so he could be a proper dark horse for next year,” Hodgson concluded.
The main reason why Bulega has had to wait so long for a full-time gig in the premier class is due to his subpar record in the lightweight and intermediate classes. After spending a total of six years in the Grand Prix paddock, the Italian failed to win a single race.
Still, VR46 boss Pablo Nieto pointed towards 2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo’s average record in Moto2 as a clear indicator that Bulega can still succeed in the premier class.
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