Ducati, More Trouble: Bulega’s Crash Adds to the Bagnaia Issue

Nicolò Bulega was involved in a devastating crash at Mugello, where he was testing the Ducati 850 that he will ride next season in MotoGP (he has already signed a contract with Team VR46 for 2027). The rider from Emilia, who dominated the Superbike World Championship in 2026, was on his second day of testing at the Tuscan circuit when, on Wednesday, he lost control of his bike following a sudden highside at Arrabbiata 2. He was taken to the hospital and suffered some bruises from the impact. Fortunately, medical exams ruled out any fractures, and the rider has already returned home.

The crash comes at a particularly delicate time for Bulega, who is juggling two commitments. In Superbike, the Ducati rider has dominated the 2026 season almost entirely, racking up a series of record-breaking performances: at Magny-Cours in early September, he secured his tenth consecutive pole position in the world championship, also setting a new track record at the French circuit. This streak of results has brought him mathematically close to clinching the world title.

His move to Team VR46 for 2027 had been greeted with great enthusiasm by Valentino Rossi himself, who in recent days had commented on the Emilian rider’s arrival on his team: “We’re very happy because he started out with us, at the Academy, so we know him very well. Then our paths diverged, but he’s done a fantastic job in Superbike, so I’m glad he’ll be racing for us next year. I think he’ll do well because he already knows the bike and the tires.” These words attest to the strong bond between “The Doctor” and his former protégé—a relationship that Bulega himself had described as fundamental to his career.

After all, this isn’t the first time Bulega has ridden a MotoGP bike: in the second half of the 2025 season, stepping in for the injured Marc Marquez, he had already competed in a few races with the official Ducati team, gaining valuable experience ahead of his definitive move to the premier class. This technical background makes the decision to move up the Ducati 850 tests even more understandable, despite the fact that the Superbike season isn’t over yet.

Bulega’s name had also been circulating in recent hours in connection with the 2026 MotoGP season, following rumors of a possible early replacement of Pecco Bagnaia on the Ducati factory team for the final races of the season. However, Wednesday’s crash at Mugello inevitably risks complicating any such scenario, even if the positive medical updates leave all possibilities open for the coming weeks.