For years, Nicolo Bulega was touted as the next great hope of Italian motorcycle racing. Tall, fast, and smooth on the bike, he seemed to check every box. Groomed in the prestigious VR46 Academy, Bulega was seen as a natural successor to Valentino Rossi’s throne. But sometimes the path to greatness is not a straight line. After stepping away from the VR46 project, Bulega has found his stride not through MotoGP but through a stunning rise in World Superbike.
A Departure from the Expected Path
Bulega’s early career was defined by hype. His Moto3 debut in 2016 included podiums and flashes of brilliance. His effortless corner speed and calm demeanor made him a favorite among Italian fans and pundits alike. But as the years went on, consistency eluded him. Injuries, bad luck, and a string of underwhelming results in Moto2 dulled the buzz.
The step up to Moto2 brought more pressure and even fewer results. Questions were asked. Was he too tall for the smaller class? Was the mental pressure of carrying the VR46 banner too much? Was he simply not the complete package many believed him to be?
In 2020, Bulega made the bold decision to step away from the VR46 team. For many, it looked like a retreat. But it was the first real step in finding his own way. Away from the spotlight, he began rebuilding—redefining what success could look like for a rider still coming into his own.
Supersport Success with Ducati
That turning point came in the form of a red Ducati 959 Panigale. In 2022 and 2023, Bulega entered the World Supersport Championship with the Aruba.it Racing team and immediately looked more at home. The bike suited his taller frame. The riding style needed to hustle the 959 around a circuit played to his strengths.
He did not just win races. He controlled weekends. Poles, wins, and dominant pace returned Bulega to the conversation. His confidence grew visibly with every round. He embraced the pressure. By the end of his second season in Supersport, he was a title winner and a clear candidate for promotion.
What made his Supersport success even more compelling was the way he matured as a rider. Gone were the erratic performances of his Moto2 days. In their place was a calculated, confident rider with a clear understanding of his strengths and limitations. The transformation was undeniable.
Arrival in WSBK: A Statement Made
In 2024, Bulega made his World Superbike debut aboard the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R. Expectations were high, but few predicted just how fast he would adapt. From the first test sessions, he was near the top of the timing sheets. By the opening rounds, he was battling for podiums.
What stands out is his calm under pressure. In a class filled with experienced heavy hitters like Bautista, Rea, and Razgatlıoğlu, Bulega has not just kept up. He has led. His smooth style extracts the most from the Ducati without abusing tires. His qualifying speed is matched by intelligent race craft. He studies his opponents and chooses his battles wisely.
Even more impressive has been his ability to convert early promise into concrete results. Bulega secured his first WSBK victory within his debut season, a milestone that caught both paddock insiders and longtime fans by surprise. Rather than taking time to find his feet, he threw himself straight into the mix and came out on top. Multiple wins followed, cementing his place as a true contender and not just a promising rookie.
In 2025, his early performances have already made him one of the riders to watch. He has stepped out of the long shadow cast by the VR46 name and built a reputation entirely his own. And crucially, he is doing it in a series where results speak louder than reputation.
Redefining Expectations
Bulega may not have followed the traditional path to MotoGP stardom. But in many ways, his story is more interesting. He left the academy that made him. He found a new home in a different paddock. He proved that success is not about following someone else’s script but writing your own.
He is not a social media sensation. He is not trying to be Rossi 2.0. He is simply riding fast, smart, and with growing consistency. For Ducati, he represents the next wave. For the sport, he represents a rider who refused to be defined by early expectations.
His career is a reminder that sometimes the best riders are the ones who take the long way round. And while he may never be the heir to Rossi’s seat, Nicolo Bulega is proving himself a worthy champion in his own right. He is racing with purpose, growing with each race weekend, and slowly becoming the story MotoGP missed but WSBK was lucky to inherit.
