BULEGA SAYS ROSSI COMPARISONS ADDED PRESSURE TO HIS EARLY CAREER

Nicolo Bulega says the expectation that he might become the next Valentino Rossi added pressure during his early Grand Prix career, especially when results failed to arrive. The Italian, now a World Superbike champion and set to join VR46 in MotoGP in 2027, reflected on those difficult years in an appearance on the Fuori Campo Parole di Sport podcast.

Bulega entered the world championship in 2016, when comparisons with Rossi were already being made. “Yeah, I definitely felt the pressure a bit,” he said. He recalled feeling that he had to win every race in his first season, describing the burden as particularly hard to manage because “the results weren’t coming in.”

His record across Moto3 and Moto2 was a stark contrast to the expectations placed on him: over 101 races, he did not win and reached the podium only twice. After seven challenging years in the two classes, Bulega came close to quitting racing. Ducati gave him a fresh opportunity in its Supersport team, where he was able to rebuild his career with less pressure. He went on to become world champion in WorldSBK.

Bulega spent much of his early career with Rossi’s VR46 teams and was part of the VR46 Riders Academy. He left the programme at the end of 2019 to join Gresini in Moto2. Although rumours at the time suggested a falling-out with Rossi, Bulega said their relationship is now positive.

“Vale always texts me,” he said, noting that Rossi had contacted him after his Estoril victory and again after he won the world championship. The pair have remained in touch, and Bulega has returned to Rossi’s ranch over the past couple of years to train on flat-track bikes.

The pressure of being cast as Rossi’s successor was not unique to Bulega: other young riders have also faced the comparison, including Maverick Viñales. Bulega’s account, however, shows how expectations can weigh heavily when they arrive before results—and how a change of team and category helped him find a way forward.