Nieto (VR46): Why Bulega is “a different rider” compared to his Moto2 days

Nicolo Bulega is having the season of his life in 2026. The Ducati factory rider has won all 21 Superbike World Championship races so far and, with the longest winning streak in the series’ history – Bulega has been unbeaten for 25 races across two seasons – is confidently heading for the world title.

At the same time, the Italian is working as an official Ducati test rider on the new 850cc MotoGP machine for 2027 and is considered a shoo-in for the second seat on the VR46 team alongside Fermin Aldeguer. For VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto – who, unsurprisingly, cannot yet officially confirm Bulega’s return – the Italian’s return to MotoGP comes as no surprise.

Nieto knows Bulega better than most other team managers in the paddock. Together they won the Spanish Championship, after which VR46 also supported the Italian in Moto3 and Moto2. Even back then, the Spaniard recognised his exceptional talent, even if major success did not materialise.

Pablo Nieto mit Nicolò Bulega

Foto: SKY VR46

“We worked with Nicolo when he was still very young,” Nieto recalled in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “We set up a team specifically for him for the Spanish Championship and he won the title with us. After that, he joined us in Moto3. We were already aware of his great talent back then.”

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Expectations too high: Bulega faltered in the Moto2 World Championship

Nevertheless, Bulega’s career in the Grand Prix classes has been far from going to plan. After a few promising starts, the big breakthrough failed to materialise. Following his move from Moto3 to Moto2, Bulega’s career veered off course. Following a mixed debut season in Moto2, the Italian moved from VR46 to Gresini, where he endured two disappointing years.

“I think he simply wasn’t ready for that level back then,” remarked Nieto in hindsight. “He’s since made a huge leap forward in the Superbike World Championship. The talent was always there. Today, he’s a very good rider.”

Bulega himself regularly emphasises that he is a different person and rider today than he was during his time in Moto2. Back then, he suffered under the enormous pressure of expectations, before the move to the Supersport World Championship allowed him a fresh start in the sport. Nieto considers this development understandable.

Nicolo Bulega stand unter großem Druck

Foto: Gold & Goose

“That may well be the case,” he said, referring to the high expectations that surrounded Bulega even as a teenager. “I remember that he was already fighting for the podium in his first two races. That automatically creates high expectations. Sometimes we, too, make the mistake of immediately declaring young riders to be the next big star.”

That is precisely why Nieto urges more patience when dealing with young talent. “We need to stay calm with young riders. It’s extremely difficult to achieve something great in this paddock. In the end, only a few riders are ever in contention for the world title. But Nicolo has the potential for great success here too.”

The parallels with Fabio Quartararo

Among other things, Nieto sees parallels with Fabio Quartararo. The Frenchman was also regarded early on as a once-in-a-century talent, but fell short of expectations in the lower classes and only went on to become world champion in MotoGP.

“That sort of thing happens sometimes,” explained Nieto. “Quartararo didn’t have an outstanding Moto2 season either. He was incredibly fast in Moto3, but it was only in MotoGP that he was able to realise his full potential. It also depends on a rider’s characteristics. Some simply feel more at home on a big bike.” As another example, he cited Jack Miller, who made the direct leap from Moto3 to MotoGP.

Superbike-WM 2026: Nicolo Bulega und dann lange nichts

Foto: Gold & Goose

The fact that Bulega is currently working intensively on the new 850cc MotoGP bike as a Ducati test rider could also work in his favour. The Italian knows the Pirelli tyres from the Superbike World Championship inside out and is already gaining valuable experience with the bike, which is set to make its racing debut in 2027.

There is also another factor in Bulega’s favour for VR46. “One of the most important aspects of our project is to support Italian riders,” emphasised Nieto. “This project is constantly growing. That’s why it’s very important for us to continue having Italian riders in the team in future.” With his performances in the Superbike World Championship, Bulega is currently impressively demonstrating that his story in the Grand Prix paddock is far from over.