Ducati Lenovo Team has officially announced that Nicolò Bulega will step in to replace the injured Marc Márquez for the final two races of the 2025 MotoGP season, signalling a significant moment for both rider and team.
Márquez, fresh from securing his seventh premier‑class title, sustained a serious right‑shoulder injury during the Indonesian Grand Prix and will not return for the concluding rounds in Portugal (Portimão) and Valencia.
In his absence, Ducati previously called upon veteran test‑rider Michele Pirro to fill the gap for the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix, but the squad has now turned to Bulega as a fresh and long‑term‑minded option.
Bulega, 26 years old, is a respected competitor in the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) paddock, having been runner‑up in consecutive seasons after winning the 2023 Supersport title. The decision to promote him into the MotoGP fold comes after a private test of the Desmosedici GP25 machine at Jerez, where the team deemed him ready for the challenge.
Bulega said of the call‑up: “I’m very happy to be able to end a season like this one with a last‑minute surprise. Making the MotoGP debut is the dream of any kid who aspires to become a rider. Plus, being able to ride the World Champion bike for the final two races of the 2025 makes everything even more exciting.”
“It’ll be a big gamble; I have no expectations. I’ll take this experience calmly, especially because, so far, I’ve only been able to test the Desmosedici GP at Jerez. That said, I’m certainly motivated to do well and give my all.”
Ducati Corse General Manager Luigi Dall’Igna also commented: “We believed in him, and he repaid us with two seasons as an absolute protagonist in Superbike, where he came close to the title and became our reference point as a rider. Furthermore … the opportunity to race in the final two GPs is the best way to begin working in this new role as a test rider.”
From Ducati’s perspective the decision makes both short‑term and medium‑term sense. Short‑term, the team needs a competent stand‑in to preserve momentum and brand strength for the closing rounds; medium‑term, Bulega represents a rising talent who already has a strong relationship with the organisation and may be groomed for future MotoGP status.
For Bulega the call‑up is transformational: his first MotoGP entries after years in Moto3, Moto2 and WorldSBK.
By choosing Bulega over Pirro for the final two races, Ducati is signalling that this is more than just a stop‑gap; this is part of a strategic succession plan. Pirro’s recent substitute outings failed to yield points for the factory squad, reflecting the difficulty of stepping in mid‑season.
Bulega, by contrast, arrives with momentum, confidence and a clear season’s worth of racing behind him.
The timing of the move is worth noting. Márquez’s withdrawal comes after his shoulder fracture and ligament damage sustained in the crash at Mandalika, Indonesia. With the title already secured, Ducati now shifts focus to closing the season with stability and preparing for 2026 and beyond.
Bulega’s earlier racing pathway also underlines how significant this moment is. He made his World Championship debut in Moto3 back in 2015, then competed in Moto2 until 2021, before shifting into Supersport and then WorldSBK where his consistency and results marked him out.
His progression into the Ducati factory fold began in 2022 when he was selected to ride Supersport for Ducati, then moved into WorldSBK. Now, stepping into MotoGP for the first time affirms Ducati’s long‑term confidence in him.
There are of course risks. Entering MotoGP at the very end of a season, with little prior track time on the bike in Grand Prix format, places immense pressure on the rider and team alike. Bulega himself acknowledged “no expectations” as he adopts a calm mindset for what will be a steep learning curve.
Ducati must manage the optics: ensuring the replacement delivers credibly, preserving the team’s brand and performance image, while balancing Bulega’s development.
Nevertheless, the move opens intriguing possibilities for the Ducati roster and for MotoGP dynamics in 2026‑27. If Bulega impresses, the factory team may view him as a full‑time candidate for a MotoGP seat in the near future. Dall’Igna’s comments hint at this: that the debut is “the best way to begin working in this new role.”