For next week’s Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimão, it will mark an exciting moment in Nicolo Bulega’s career. The young Italian rider will make his MotoGP debut with the Ducati Lenovo Team, stepping in for Marc Márquez for the final two rounds of the 2025 season.

Bulega, who currently competes with the Aruba.it Racing Ducati team, has already made a strong name for himself in the world of motorcycle racing. He won the 2023 Supersport World Championship and recently finished as runner-up in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Alongside his race duties, he has also worked as an official MotoGP test rider for Ducati, helping to develop the powerful Desmosedici GP bike.

His MotoGP debut comes just days after he tested the Desmosedici GP for the first time at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. The event in Portimão will be a special one for Bulega, as it also marks his 100th race in the World Championship, counting 50 starts in Moto3 and 49 in Moto2.

Speaking about this opportunity, Bulega shared his excitement in Ducati Corse Official Press Release:

“I’m really happy to finish the season with such a great surprise. Racing in MotoGP has always been my dream, and doing it on the World Champion bike makes it even more special. I know it will be a big challenge, but I have no expectations — I just want to enjoy the experience and do my best. I’m very grateful to Ducati, Ducati Corse, and the Aruba.it Racing team for believing in me and giving me this chance.”

For Ducati, Bulega’s debut is not only a reward for his hard work but also a chance to see how one of their most promising young riders performs at the highest level of motorcycle racing. Fans will be eager to see how the 25-year-old handles the step up when he takes to the track in Portugal.