Bulega and Bautista spearhead Ducati 2024 WorldSBK assault
Ducati’s factory Aruba.it World Superbike squad has announed that Nicolò Bulega, the current Supersport World Championship leader (9 wins and 13 podiums in the season so far), will race alongside Alvaro Bautista on Ducati Panigale V4R machinery in 2024.
Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager
“We are pleased to welcome Nicolò Bulega to the official Superbike team. Since last season, Nicolò has been able to give us immense delight. He is a very talented rider, and his experience (despite his young age) could be a determining factor in facing this fascinating and demanding challenge. During the test held with the Ducati Panigale V4R machine, he has shown that he has the potential to compete with the best riders in the WorldSBK Championship, and sharing the garage with Alvaro Bautista will only help him grow. However, it will be important for him to stay focused on his WorldSSP season. The Aruba.it Racing team had the merit last year to think about Bulega and involve him in a completely new project that Ducati cares so much about. We hope he can wrap up his last season in Supersport in the best possible way“.
The team thanked Michael Ruben Rinaldi for his services. The Italian is currently seventh on the 2023 WorldSBK Championship points table.
Stefano Cecconi – Team Principal Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Nicolò is a choice that makes us proud because it confirms the quality of the project we undertook two years ago in the SuperSport World Championship. His growth has been steady and we expect him to continue on this path riding a Panigale V4R, as he has proven he can be very fast with this bike during testing. From the beginning, we have believed in the talent of Nicolò who, moreover, in this year and a half has shown great professionalism and attachment to the colors of the Team. I would also like to address a big thank you to Michael Ruben Rinaldi with whom the professional and human relationship has always been very strong. Even if our paths separate he will always be part of our family. Good luck Michael!”
Nicolo Bulega
“I want to be honest: this is a dream coming true. Racing for an official team is the desire of every rider. Therefore, before I talk about my emotions and expectations, I want to thank Ducati and Aruba.it Racing. And I am also extremely grateful for the opportunity I was given already last season by Aruba.it and Feel Racing and especially by Stefano Cecconi, Serafino Foti and Daniele Casolari. They chose me to ride a fantastic Ducati Panigale V2, on which I felt immediately comfortable. I know how important this opportunity is and I will always give my best to improve myself, day after day, with the only goal of getting the best possible results. I say it again: thank you for the trust. Thinking about the history of this Team, where great champions have always raced, I feel proud to be able to defend the same colors. Also, I am very happy to be able to share the box with Alvaro Bautista. Having him as a teammate will be a big plus: I will try to absorb every information I can learn from him.“
