Nicolò Bulega to Make MotoGP Debut with Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team in 2027

Nicolò Bulega will step up to the MotoGP World Championship in 2027 after being confirmed as the latest addition to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, completing the squad’s rider line-up for the start of a new era in the premier class.

The Italian rider will join Fermín Aldeguer at the Tavullia-based team, riding a Ducati Desmosedici GP as he makes his full-time debut in MotoGP.

For Bulega, the move represents the culmination of a long-held ambition to compete in the premier class, although his route to MotoGP has been anything but conventional. Having initially risen through the MotoGP paddock, Bulega later moved into the production-based championships, where he has established himself as one of the standout riders of his generation.

Bulega first appeared on the world stage in 2015, making his Moto3 debut as a wildcard with the VR46 Racing Team after winning the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship that same year. He remained with the Tavullia-based outfit for the following three seasons in Moto3 before moving into Moto2 for the 2019 season.

His career then took a different direction when he switched to the production-based World Supersport Championship in 2022 with Ducati. The move proved to be a major turning point.

Bulega claimed the WorldSSP title in 2023 in dominant fashion, securing 10 pole positions and 16 race victories during his championship-winning campaign. His performances earned him promotion to the factory Ducati WorldSBK team for the 2024 season.

He made an immediate impact in the premier production-bike championship, finishing runner-up in the WorldSBK standings during his debut season. He repeated that result in 2025 and has gone another step further in 2026, producing a remarkable campaign that has seen him establish himself as the rider to beat.

At the time of the announcement, Bulega leads the WorldSBK standings after taking 26 victories from the 27 races contested so far this season.

While his move to MotoGP has now been confirmed, Bulega is not entirely new to the Ducati MotoGP machinery. He has already gained experience as a Ducati MotoGP test rider and also made his MotoGP race debut last season when he stepped in as a replacement rider for the Ducati Lenovo Team in the final two Grands Prix of the campaign.

That experience should provide a valuable foundation when he begins his full-time MotoGP career in 2027, particularly with major technical and regulatory changes coming to the championship.

For Bulega, the opportunity also represents something of a homecoming. His early career was closely linked to the VR46 Riders Academy, meaning he already knows many of the people within the organisation and has a long-standing relationship with the team.

“Making it to MotoGP is a dream, because I will make my debut with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team,” Bulega said. “I chose this team because I’ve always been linked to them. I was in the VR46 Riders Academy when I was a child, so I know everyone very well.”

The 26-year-old explained that although reaching MotoGP took longer than he had originally expected, his years in WorldSBK have exceeded his ambitions and ultimately created the opportunity to make the move to the premier class.

Bulega is also approaching the transition without placing unnecessary expectations on himself.

“I don’t want to set any goals, I want to try to do well, take it one race at a time, especially at the beginning, and do the best job possible,” he said.

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Director Alessio Salucci welcomed Bulega back to the organisation, highlighting the rider’s long-standing connection with the team and his development since his early years.

Salucci believes Bulega has demonstrated both the talent and maturity required to make the step into MotoGP and promised the full support of the VR46 organisation as he begins the next chapter of his career.

Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna also backed the decision, pointing to Bulega’s consistent development and his ability to extract strong performance from Ducati machinery.

According to Dall’Igna, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team provides the ideal environment for Bulega to adapt to MotoGP, while his existing relationship with Ducati and experience as a test rider should give him valuable tools as he makes the transition.

However, the move to MotoGP will have to wait for now. Bulega’s immediate priority remains his WorldSBK title campaign, with Ducati keen to see him complete what has already been an extraordinary season by fighting for the championship.

Pablo Nieto, Team Manager of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, believes Bulega’s experience in WorldSBK, including his familiarity with the championship’s tyres, combined with his Ducati MotoGP testing experience, will help him adapt to the new category.

With Bulega joining Aldeguer for 2027, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will enter a significant new chapter with a line-up featuring two young riders looking to establish themselves in MotoGP.

For Bulega, however, the immediate challenge remains firmly in WorldSBK. With the MotoGP dream now secured, his attention can remain on one final objective for 2026: fighting for the World Superbike Championship title before beginning his next adventure in MotoGP.

Picture Credits: Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team