NEIL HODGSON SAYS NICOLO BUGLEGA COULD START 2027 WITH AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

MotoGP pundits Neil Hodgson and Sylvain Guintoli believe Nicolo Bulega could enter the 2027 rookie season with an advantage that borders on “unfair” compared with the rest of the grid. The discussion came during TNT Sports coverage of FP1 at the British Grand Prix, where the pair talked about Bulega’s move for the sport’s new technical regulations.

Bulega is expected to ride for VR46 Racing in 2027, though the Ducati-backed team’s official confirmation has not yet been reported. If the plan is confirmed, it will be Bulega’s first full campaign in MotoGP. He previously made his premier-class debut by stepping in for an injury-hit Marc Marquez for the final two rounds of the 2025 season.

Guintoli framed his confidence in Bulega as unusually high, saying: “I am that optimistic for Bulega that I will go as far as saying that he is going to be fighting in the top five next year.” He added that he expects the Italian to be a major surprise: “That’s how confident I am. I think he’s going to be very impressive, Bulega, and he’s going to surprise a lot of people.”

The former MotoGP rider pointed to the depth of Bulega’s preparation, explaining that he has “extensive experience with Pirelli” and is also “testing the 850s right now.” Guintoli said Bulega has already completed “a couple of tests” and is “already a step in front of those guys that are on the MotoGP grid now,” concluding that he will be “super strong and very, very early on.”

Hodgson agreed with Guintoli’s assessment and focused on why the situation could be particularly lopsided. “I agree, totally agree. You’ve hit the nail on the head there,” he said, before describing the nature of Bulega’s role within Ducati’s programme. Hodgson argued that other manufacturers typically rely on test riders, but Ducati has placed Bulega in a more advanced position: “Ducati have got one of their riders for next year as their test rider. And he’s not only the test rider, but he’s also developing the new bike. He is hand-building his 850 for next year.”

With multiple rookies expected for 2027, including Moto2 graduates, the pundits’ shared view is that Bulega’s combination of tyre familiarity and direct 850 development could put him ahead from the very start.