Nicolò Bulega is the 2026 WorldSBK Champion after finishing second in Race 2 at Cremona. The Ducati rider only needed a top five result to secure the championship and delivered exactly what was required. Iker Lecuona won the race, while Yari Montella completed the podium. Bulega now becomes only the second Italian to win the WorldSBK title.
Mugello will remain the home of the Italian MotoGP for another five years after MotoGP and the Tuscan circuit agreed a new deal through the end of 2031. The iconic venue has hosted the Italian Grand Prix continuously since 1994 and welcomed a record 178,723 spectators in 2026. Mugello’s 2027 race is scheduled for May 28–30 as MotoGP begins its new 850cc era.
MotoGP has revealed its provisional 2027 calendar, featuring 22 Grands Prix and two major changes. Buenos Aires returns to the championship for the first time since 1999, replacing Hungary on the schedule, while Adelaide will host the Australian Grand Prix for the first time, replacing Phillip Island. The season begins in Thailand on March 7 and finishes in Valencia on November 28.
Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola says the team will not impose team orders while Jorge Martín and Marco Bezzecchi remain mathematically capable of winning the 2026 MotoGP title. Martín leads the championship by 12 points over Marc Márquez, while Bezzecchi is 42 points behind his teammate. Rivola says both riders deserve the chance to compete until the championship mathematics eliminate one of them.
Pedro Acosta’s move to Ducati for 2027 is partly driven by his desire to measure himself against Marc Márquez on equal machinery. KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister says Acosta told him he wanted to beat Márquez “with the same weapon,” regardless of whether KTM’s 850cc bike proves stronger. Acosta will join Márquez at Ducati in 2027, creating a direct teammate comparison under the new regulations.
Two time WorldSBK champion Alvaro Bautista remains without a confirmed seat for 2027. The Ducati rider says improving his results during the final three rounds will give him more options for next season. Bautista has struggled for consistent results in 2026, with a best dry race finish of fourth and one podium in wet conditions. He says his priority remains racing rather than becoming a test rider.
Iker Lecuona has admitted that Nicolo Bulega is likely to secure the 2026 WorldSBK title at Cremona. Lecuona is the only rider still mathematically able to stop his Ducati teammate, but he needs to outscore Bulega by 23 points across the three races this weekend to keep the championship alive. Lecuona has finished second in all three races at Magny Cours.
Nicolo Bulega arrives at Cremona with a 146 point championship lead over Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona. The Italian can become 2026 WorldSBK champion this weekend, potentially as early as Race 1 if he outscores Lecuona by 15 points. Bulega has won 26 of the 27 races so far and took a hat trick at Cremona last year.
MotoGP has confirmed that the Hungarian Grand Prix will not be part of the 2027 calendar, meaning Balaton Park will lose its place after hosting the event in 2025 and 2026. MotoGP said Hungary remains an important destination and that it will explore options for a future return. A possible move to the Hungaroring had been discussed, but that will not happen in 2027.
VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio has raised concerns about MotoGP’s proposal to introduce a separate qualifying session for the Sprint race from 2027. With the championship already featuring 22 rounds and 44 races, the Italian believes adding another high-pressure session could further increase the physical demands on riders. Di Giannantonio said he would prefer more relaxed practice sessions rather than another qualifying run.