Nicolo Bulega has officially secured the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, sealing his first premier‑class title in front of his home crowd at Cremona with two rounds of the season still to spare. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider has not only claimed the crown in record‑breaking fashion, but has also written his name permanently into the history books as the first competitor ever to win both the WorldSSP and WorldSBK titles.
A Landmark Achievement
Bulega’s coronation at the Italian Round brings to an end a campaign of utter dominance. Across 30 races, he has taken 26 victories and stood on the podium every single time he has finished. His points total stands at a commanding 602, giving him a cushion of 133 points over his nearest rival and teammate Iker Lecuona.
By clinching the title with Ducati, Bulega becomes the tenth different rider to win the WorldSBK Riders’ Championship aboard a Panigale, continuing the Italian manufacturer’s long and distinguished legacy in the series. He is also the first Italian WorldSBK Champion since Max Biaggi secured the crown back in 2012 — ending a 14‑year wait for homegrown success.
Most notably, Bulega is the first rider in the history of the championship to claim both the World Supersport and World Superbike titles, having secured the WorldSSP crown in 2023. That double success places him in a class of his own in the record books.
“I Was Just a Child Walking the Paddock” — Bulega’s Reaction
Speaking shortly after confirming the title, Bulega described the moment as something beyond his childhood dreams.
“I feel incredible. To win the title in Cremona, in Italy, with Ducati, and in front of all my supporters — it’s fantastic. I’ve become the first Italian to win a WorldSBK title with Ducati, and it feels very, very special. When I was young, I was right here in this paddock because my dad ran a team in World Supersport. I was just a child walking around, watching my idols — Bayliss, Haga, Corser — so many incredible riders. And now, I’m World Champion. It’s hard to find the words.”
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali paid tribute to both rider and machine, highlighting the scale of the season’s achievement.
“We feel immense pride. It’s not just that Nicolo won the championship — it’s how he won it. He dominated from the very first race. We introduced a new Panigale V4 R this year, and we knew we had to make a step forward — the bike proved exceptionally strong, and Nicolo delivered something truly extraordinary. The run of consecutive wins is something we may not see again for a very long time.”
The Road to the Crown — Bulega’s Rise Through the Ranks
Bulega’s path to WorldSBK glory has been built on years of progress across multiple categories. His career began in earnest back in 2015 when he claimed the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship, before graduating to the World Championship paddock in Moto3 and then Moto2.
In 2022, he made the switch to World Supersport with Aruba.it Racing. He finished a solid fourth in his rookie campaign, and the following year produced one of the most dominant seasons the class had ever seen — winning 16 of 24 races to take the 2023 WorldSSP title by a commanding margin.
Promoted to the WorldSBK squad for 2024, Bulega hit the ground running, winning on his debut weekend at Phillip Island. He ended his rookie season with six victories and 24 podiums, finishing second overall. He repeated that runner‑up spot in 2025, this time with 14 wins from 36 races, establishing himself as a consistent title contender.
Then came 2026 — a season that will be remembered as his masterpiece. Alongside his 26 wins, Bulega set an all‑time WorldSBK record with 25 consecutive race victories, a run of supremacy that stretched across months and left his rivals with no answer.
What Comes Next — MotoGP Awaits
Having conquered both WorldSSP and WorldSBK, Bulega will step up to the MotoGP™ World Championship in 2027, where he will join the premier class with a new team. His move marks the next chapter in a career that has seen him climb every rung of the international racing ladder, and he will arrive in the paddock as a proven race winner and champion.
For now, though, the focus remains on celebrating what has been a truly historic season — one that has cemented Nicolo Bulega among the all‑time greats of production‑based motorcycle racing.
