Bulega in, Bautista out at Ducati WorldSBK team

Ducati have confirmed one half of their factory team for the 2026 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). As he aims to secure his first WorldSBK Championship this year, Nicolo Bulega has re-signed with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati for 2026, but Alvaro Bautista will exit the factory team after Ducati chose not to exercise an option for the coming season in the Spaniard’s two-year deal.

Bulega’s new deal includes time testing Ducati’s MotoGP project, with the Italian expected to provide valuable feedback on the Desmosedici GP ahead of MotoGP’s switch to Pirelli tyres (as used in WorldSBK) in 2027.

“I am very happy to take on the role of Ducati test rider for MotoGP,” Bulega said. “It is part of a dream come true, because there are not many riders who are given the chance to try the Ducati Desmosedici GP. It is a very important goal for my life and I will try to make the most of this opportunity, also to gain further experience in the Ducati world.”

Bautista, a two-time WorldSBK Champion, declared “I’m free for next year” ahead of the Emilia-Romagna WorldSBK round in mid-June. The Spaniard had signed with Ducati for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, but with exit options for both sides. While Bautista had declared he was happy to continue with Aruba.it-Racing Ducati next year, Ducati has exercised the exit option. As such, the 40-year-old is looking for a new ride.

“My intention is to keep racing because I feel good,” Baustista said at Misano. “I think physically and mentally, I feel strong enough to fight for good results.” 

While he’s keen to continue racing, Bautista has had a lean 2025 season, with no race wins on the Panigale V4 R at time of writing and only four wins last year. This is in stark contrast to his 2023 season that saw him achieve 27 wins and the championship.

Bautista’s replacement at Aruba.it Racing - Ducati had not been revealed at time of writing, but is likely to come from within the WorldSBK paddock.