Valentino Rossi-backed star reacts as Marc Marquez singles him out
Bulega has responded to Marquez's comments about him (Credit: Apex Agency)
Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Valentino Rossi protege Nicolo Bulega has hinted that Marc Marquez may already be preparing for his much-anticipated MotoGP arrival.
Bulega returns to Grand Prix racing in 2027, having utterly dominated WorldSBK this year.
The 27-year-old became world champion with a round to go and has broken records for the number of wins and his point total.
As a result, he’s been snapped up by VR46 Racing for next season, the team owned by his idol and Marquez rival Valentino Rossi.
Why Rossi's latest MotoGP signing has caught Marquez's attention
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It’s not just his performances, though, Bulega has also been testing Ducati’s 850cc bike for next year’s new era of regulations, and he’s raced in Superbikes on Pirelli tyres, which will also be introduced in MotoGP next year.
Given all of those factors, the Italian is going to be the one to watch in 2027, and Marquez has said as much in his media appearances.
Bulega responds to suggestion of Marquez mind games
Now, responding to the claims, Bulega told GPOne: "I don't think Marquez needs to resort to strategies against me.
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“Maybe he really thinks so; otherwise, he wouldn't have said it. I saw the press conference where he spoke about me, and it made me very happy.
“Hearing him say that about a rider like him, who is certainly no rookie, is a source of pride and motivates me even more. I'll try to do well.”
Speaking in September, Marquez was asked which 2027 rider signing he’s most excited about.
“I'd say Bulega,” the nine-time champion responded. “He's already testing, he knows the tyres, and I think he'll be good.
“I can't wait to see him and [2027 VR46 teammate Fermin] Aldeguer. They're both charismatic riders."
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Bulega will be racing the same Ducati as Marquez next year, but without factory support.
His unparalleled WorldSBK success has also come on a Ducati, meaning a switch back to MotoGP was always going to be with the Italian brand.
That’s even despite their Austrian rivals KTM pushing hardest for his signature.
"I don't think Marquez needs to resort to strategies against me."- Nicolo Bulega
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How Ducati kept Rossi's new rider away from KTM
Bulega revealed: “We had to wait and see what the top riders, the ones the market was eyeing, would do.
“There was a possibility of going to KTM, and it was probably the most concrete. My agent had met with some of their managers. There was also a possibility, perhaps more limited, with Aprilia.
“However, I’ve always said I’d like to stay with Ducati. I arrived in 2022; we started in Supersport, and then I was given the opportunity to race directly in Superbikes with the factory team.
“We’ve won a lot of races, and this year we won the World Championship - the icing on the cake. Staying with Ducati was my biggest wish, and in the end, we achieved it. Now a new challenge begins.”
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Given Bulega’s advantages of testing next year’s Ducati and racing on Pirellis, some have gone even further than Marquez with their excitement over the Italian.
Long-time MotoGP rider turned KTM test rider, Pol Espargaro, even thinks Bulega will enter 2027 as the title favourite.
Bulega has dominated WorldSBK and will swap to MotoGP next season (Credit: Apex Agency)
Responding to such claims, the Emilia-Romagna native said: “Honestly, I don’t think I have that much of an advantage.
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“This year I’ve been alternating between Superbike and MotoGP, and constantly changing bikes isn’t easy.
“When you work with the test team, you don’t just hop on the bike and ask them to prepare one to your specifications. They propose solutions developed at headquarters, and you have to evaluate whether they work or not. The bike wasn’t built according to my needs, as someone said.
“I’ve done seven or eight days of testing, not twelve. The factory riders are Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta, so it’s logical that they have the opportunity to develop the bike according to their own needs. I, on the other hand, will have to earn everything.”
Rossi and Bulega reunite years after their first partnership ended
Rossi, for one, will be hoping Espargaro is proven right about Bulega, who was one of the final names announced for the 2027 MotoGP grid.
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Bulega signed for Rossi’s VR46 Academy in his early years and was supported through Moto2 and Moto3 before heading off to Superbikes.
On the reunion with his idol, Bulega said: "Vale wrote to me two years ago, saying, 'Come back!'
“We've always stayed in touch and even met up at a birthday party, where we had lunch together.
“He was happy about this new adventure. It's a nice story because, professionally, we had parted ways in 2019: I wasn't getting results, and they couldn't find a way to help me achieve them.
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“When a rider and a team aren’t achieving results, sooner or later their paths diverge.
“However, on a personal level, I’ve always had an excellent relationship with Vale. He wrote to me when I won in Supersport and also after my first Superbike victory. We’ve never lost touch.
“I had already returned to training at the Ranch two years ago, when we never even imagined we’d be racing together the following year.
“I’m glad we have this second chance to be together again and try to do well.
“I’ve changed, and I think I’ve matured a lot in recent years. The team I’m riding for now has helped me grow in several ways. I hope we’ve all learned from our mistakes, and I’m convinced we have the potential to do well.”
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