NICCOLO BUGLEGA LEADS DUCATI IN 2027 MISANO TEST AS HE CLOSES ON LAP RECORD

A 2027 prototype test at Misano on Wednesday highlighted how quickly Ducati’s 850cc development is moving, with Nicolo Bulega setting the pace ahead of Yamaha’s riders. Bulega, who is combining a MotoGP test programme with his World Superbike commitments, continued an extensive run on the Ducati 850cc machine. Augusto Fernandez and Andrea Dovizioso were also on track for Yamaha.

According to Sky Sports Italy journalist Rosario Triolo, Bulega—set to race for VR46 next season—was fastest in the session with a 1:31.7. Triolo’s report also placed Bulega at roughly a second quicker than Fernandez. Yamaha, however, is not expected to panic about the gap, with the context that Fernandez was testing new parts rather than purely chasing lap time. The same report notes that Fernandez, who has not raced full-time since 2024, was 1.4 seconds off the pace of Fabio Quartararo during his wildcard appearance at Silverstone.

The comparison to existing benchmarks is where Bulega’s pace stands out. Triolo pointed out that Bulega’s time was just 0.9 seconds away from the race lap record set by Francesco Bagnaia in 2024. Bagnaia’s 2024 qualifying lap was a 1:30.0, which was 1.7 seconds quicker than Bulega’s Misano effort. The report also references Jorge Martin’s July claim that Ducati’s GP27 was 1.6 seconds behind its predecessor, suggesting Bulega’s current prototype performance could be particularly strong if that relative figure holds.

While Bulega’s speed is striking, the report stresses that it’s still difficult to judge how much of the Ducati’s full potential he can consistently extract, given his limited exposure at MotoGP’s top level. Even so, the amount of mileage he has already built into the test programme is presented as a reason he should be comfortable on the 2027 machine.

New Tech3 signing Luca Marini believes Bulega may have an advantage next year, citing both his test role and his experience on Pirelli tyres. Overall, the Misano running suggests Ducati’s 850cc development is already exceeding expectations.