Nicolo Bulega is being tipped to make a massive impact in MotoGP 2027. His WorldSBK experience and extensive testing with Ducati's 850cc machine could see him dominate from the opening round.
That's the view of KTM test rider Pol Espargaro, who has witnessed Bulega's pace firsthand during private 850cc/Pirelli tests. Espargaro didn't hold back, saying Bulega could "smash everyone."
According to Espargaro, Bulega's advantage is clear: he already knows the Pirelli tyres intimately from WorldSBK, and he's playing a leading role in developing Ducati's new 850cc bike. None of his fellow 2027 rookies are thought to have ridden an 850cc prototype yet. Izan Guevara and Senna Agius are believed to have used adapted 1000cc machines at the Red Bull Ring test, while David Alonso and Dani Holgado are yet to make their MotoGP debuts.
Bulega skipped the Austrian test to focus on wrapping up the WorldSBK title at Cremona this weekend. However, he will still benefit from two extra days of official pre-season testing at the Sepang Shakedown, as will the other five rookies. But the combination of racing experience and testing mileage puts him on a different level.
"Crazy. It's absolutely crazy and I would say also unfair," Espargaro said when asked about Bulega's advantage. "Because he's going to be a permanent rider next year, and the amount of kilometres [he's had] - and he's [developing] this bike around him. He's going to know the bike perfectly, he's going to know the tyres perfectly, he's going to have the two more extra days in the Shakedown. So the amount of experience and speed he's going to have, it's going to be insane."
Espargaro added that the advantage is also unfair for the Moto2 riders moving up to MotoGP, compared to the MotoGP riders staying on. "But if I were racing, I would have a lot of advantage over those guys also [due to 850cc testing]. So imagine Bulega, who came from a championship where the bike is pretty similar to next year's MotoGP, which is Superbike, and with his experience and testing so much. Yeah, I feel he's going to smash everyone."
As a comparison, Espargaro pointed to his own wildcard performances last season. "You remember how strong I was last year in the places where I was doing wild-cards? I was coming in on the Friday and I was smashing it. I was second in FP1 in Hungaryg because of testing [at that track]! I was going through Q2 easy, I would say, every weekend I was racing. And that was with a 1000 bike, and everyone knows this bike. So imagine going to places that actually [Bulega] has already ridden and has information at: Mugello, Jerez, Misanog He has a lot of experience."
With that kind of pedigree, it's no surprise Bulega is expected to shine immediately in MotoGP 2027. He will make his debut at Buriram, Thailand, a track he hasn't raced at before. But his rapid adaptation and wealth of testing data could be a secret weapon. The 2027 MotoGP season promises to be even more intense with Bulega ready to challenge the established stars.
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