Alvaro Bautista has once again taken aim at WorldSBK's minimum weight rule, and this time Nicolo Bulega is caught in the crossfire. The Spanish rider posted a photo of his water bottle with the words 'no discrimination' and 'no combined weight', a sharp dig at the regulation introduced in 2024.
The rule requires riders weighing less than 80kg with all gear to carry ballast weight. Bautista, the smallest and lightest rider in WorldSBK, is most affected. Since its introduction, he has struggled to replicate his 2023 dominance, when he won 27 of 36 races and claimed the title.
Since 2024, Nicolo Bulega has emerged as Bautista's main challenger. The two were teammates at the factory Ducati team, but Bulega outperformed Bautista two seasons in a row. Now, Bulega is on the verge of breaking Bautista's 2023 win record. With 26 wins so far this year and nine races remaining, he is expected to surpass Bautista's total of 27.
WorldSBK's social media highlighted this potential record, but Bautista responded with a water bottle post mocking the weight rule. However, Bautista insisted his criticism is not aimed at Bulega personally. In an interview with WorldSBK.com, he praised Bulega, who will move to MotoGP in 2027.
"I think Nicolo has a really high potential," Bautista said. "He's a very talented rider. He will go back to the championship he started [in]. At the moment, I think he's the rider who has more kilometres on the new bike [850cc], with the new spec, with the new tyres. So, he has an advantage from the rest."
Bautista also believes Bulega will be competitive in MotoGP, though he is unsure if he can dominate as he does in WorldSBK. "But my opinion is that Nicolo will be fast there in MotoGP – I don't know if [enough] to win all the races like he is doing this season [laughs]. But I'm convinced that he will be very competitive," he added.
Meanwhile, Bautista himself is facing a tough season. After moving to the Barni Ducati team for 2026, he has yet to score a dry-weather podium. This contrasts with his impressive past performances and further strengthens his argument that the weight rule has changed the competitive balance.
This controversy highlights the tension between efforts to create more balanced competition and its impact on riders with specific physical characteristics. For Bautista, the weight rule remains a thorn in his side, and his criticism resurfaces amid the spotlight on Bulega's impending record.
Baca Juga
Alvaro Bautista kembali menyerang aturan berat minimum WorldSBK, Nicolo Bulega terkena imbas. Baca analisis lengkap dan komentar Bautista tentang Bulega yang akan pindah ke MotoGP.
Iker Lecuona tercepat di FP2 WorldSBK Cremona yang penuh insiden. Bulega dan Surra lengkapi tiga besar, sementara Twan Smits finis ke-20 setelah crash.
Iker Lecuona mendominasi FP1 dan FP2 WorldSBK Cremona, sementara Nicolo Bulega dua kali jatuh. Simak hasil lengkapnya di sini.
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