Could Nicolò Bulega (Ducati) win on any bike? Not on a Bimota

We have seen many exceptional riders in the Superbike World Championship, but there has never been a dominator quite like Nicolò Bulega this year. The Italian has won every Superpole and each of the 21 races so far; across the season, that figure stands at 25 victories.

In the Aruba.it Ducati factory team, the 26-year-old enjoys an ideal environment and, with the new V4R set to be introduced in 2026, also has the best bike currently available – as evidenced by his team-mate Iker Lecuona’s 18 second-place finishes and the numerous podium finishes by Ducati privateer riders.

Even though Bulega currently stands head and shoulders above all other Superbike riders, a lingering doubt remains as to just how good the Italian really is. “He’s a good rider, definitely,” emphasised Pere Riba, crew chief to Bimota ace Alex Lowes, speaking to Corsedimoto. “He’s riding the best bike in the paddock, but results don’t just fall from the sky. Winning is always difficult; you can’t afford to make any mistakes. It’s easier when you’ve got a cushion, but there’s no doubt that he’s a good rider.”

But even the former racer finds it difficult to accurately assess the World Championship leader’s performances. Bulega is in his third Superbike season, having always ridden for Ducati. “It strikes me that Iker Lecuona used to finish seventh or eighth on the Honda, whereas now, on the Ducati, he’s crossing the line a second behind Bulega,” muses the Spaniard. “The technical gap is too big at the moment to be able to properly assess the rider. You mustn’t forget: every rider in the paddock is incredibly fast; they’re all lads who know how to ride right on the limit. But Ducati is a huge step ahead, so it’s hard to form an accurate judgement.”

The Bimota riders Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani have secured three top-three finishes so far in the 2026 Superbike World Championship. What if Bulega were riding a Bimota? “Would he still be leading by fifteen seconds then? I’ll give you a clear answer: no – one hundred per cent no,” Riba is certain. “But he’s a brilliant rider, no question about it. He’s among the very best, even if I’m not entirely sure just how close he is to the very top.”

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