Nicolo Bulega may find it difficult to secure a Ducati MotoGP seat for 2027 despite testing the brand’s future 850cc prototype and showing strong form in World Superbike. Most Desmosedici seats are expected to remain occupied under current contracts, leaving limited opportunities for the Italian rider to move into MotoGP in the next rider market cycle.
Jonathan Rea returns to Assen this weekend for Honda HRC, again standing in for the recovering Jake Dixon at a circuit where he has 17 wins and 25 podiums in total. Dixon is targeting a return at the Hungarian Round in May, subject to medical clearance. Assen is the most successful circuit of Rea’s legendary WorldSBK career.
Bulega’s winning streak of ten consecutive races heading into Assen is the best start to a WorldSBK season since Alvaro Bautista won 11 in a row in 2019. With six wins from six races this season alone, Bulega is also on course to challenge some of the most significant records in WorldSBK history across the remaining ten rounds.
Nicolo Bulega’s manager Alberto Martinelli says it is not impossible for the WorldSBK championship leader to reach MotoGP without Ducati, warning the team will not wait indefinitely for an offer. As of Portimao, Bulega had no written offers on the table despite talks with multiple teams. All three Ducati backed MotoGP teams appear close to finalising line ups that leave no room for the Italian.
Bulega claimed his 11th WorldSBK pole position at Portimao, drawing level with Ben Spies. He also reached 26 career wins, drawing level with Doug Polen, with Chaz Davies next on 28. With six wins from six races and 10 on the bounce overall, Bulega is on course to challenge some of the most significant records in WorldSBK history across the remaining 10 rounds. Jonathan Rea’s all time marks are now in sight.
Jonathan Rea will make a second appearance in 2026 at the Dutch Round in Assen on 17 to 19 April, again standing in for Jake Dixon, whose return has been pushed back to the Hungarian Round in May. Rea has 17 wins at Assen and will be hoping the extra recovery time puts him in far better shape than Portimao.
Jonathan Rea came out of retirement to race for Honda at Portimao, standing in for injured Jake Dixon. The six time champion admitted he was not ready for the weekend after missing the top ten in all three races, revealing he had undergone two surgeries since his retirement and that 20 lap race distances came as a physical shock.
Nicolo Bulega swept all three races at Portimao, leading every single one of the 50 racing laps across the weekend. The Ducati factory rider now leads the 2026 WorldSBK championship by 56 points over teammate Iker Lecuona. Six wins from six races. Nobody is laying a glove on him.
Nicolo Bulega won all six races across the opening two WorldSBK rounds of 2026. His lead over Axel Bassani extended from 20 to 37 points after Portimao, with Lecuona third and Oliveira fourth in the standings. Bulega thanked his team for their work after what he described as a difficult start to the weekend on Friday. Six wins. Two rounds.
Miguel Oliveira delivered an extraordinary home round at Portimao, taking three consecutive podiums on his BMW in front of his home crowd. He pushed Lecuona hard in the Superpole Race, his tyre beginning to fade in the closing laps before running out of time to complete the overtake on the last lap. Three podiums in his home round on a BMW. The Algarve crowd will remember this weekend for years.