Nicolo Bulega has smashed two of motorcycle racing’s grandest records ahead of his swap to MotoGP.
The Italian has already clinched the WorldSBK title before heading to Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Racing in 2027, but there was more history to be made.
He became champion at his home race in Cremona, but now, in Portugal’s Estoril, the 26-year-old has ripped up the history books.
Bulega won all three races for his ninth clean sweep of the season, making it 28 victories out of a possible 33.
Rossi-bound Bulega breaks WorldSBK records
That is a new WorldSBK record, topping Alvaro Bautista’s 27 that had stood since 2023.
In doing so, he also made it 664 points for the season, surpassing Jonathan Rea’s record of 663 from 2019.
What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that the Ducati rider still has three more races to go, with the final event in Jerez to add to his total.
Bulega targets third record before MotoGP switch
He now has just one big record left in his sights: the most podiums in a season. Rea achieved 34 in 2019, and Bulega is now on 33.
Bulega will soon be moving to MotoGP with VR46 Racing under his idol Rossi.
The Reggio Emilia native has long been associated with the MotoGP legend, and raced in Moto2 and Moto3 with the backing of Rossi’s academy.
He left Grand Prix motorcycle racing in 2021, and then made his first MotoGP appearances in 2025 in a two-race wildcard.
Yet things are expected to be very different for Bulega when he returns to the sport next year.
Bulega has dominated WorldSBK and will swap to MotoGP next season (Credit: Apex Agency)
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The Italian has been testing Ducati’s 850cc bike for the new era of regulations, which is seen as a huge advantage.
On top of that, he’s been racing in Superbikes on Pirelli tyres, which will be introduced in MotoGP next year.
So big are those two factors that KTM test rider Pol Espargaro thinks Bulega can compete for the title.
The Spaniard even called it ‘unfair’, which Bulega has since responded to.
Bulega responds to claims Ducati's new bike suits him
“For me, there's nothing to say; we didn't do anything against the rules," Bulega replied.
"I'm a Superbike rider; why can't I test a MotoGP bike? Last year, when we signed my contract with Ducati and started thinking about being a test rider for MotoGP, we didn't know that in 2027 I would move to the top class.
“We had considered the role of test rider before moving to MotoGP. It was a strategy we had in mind, but there was nothing written down.”
Bulega also responded to Espargaro, saying the bike is ‘made for him’.
He added: “I'm not sure the bike is made for me: it's made for the factory team riders, and I simply try what they ask me to try. It's not true that the bike is made for me.”