Alvaro Bautista’s Ducati WorldSBK renewal “good news” for Nicolo Bulega

The announcement of Alvaro Bautista’s continuation with the factory Ducati WorldSBK team means that there will be complete stability in the Aruba.it Racing garage next season.

Nicolo Bulega replaced Michael Ruben Rinaldi for this year, after winning the WorldSSP title last year, and has made a strong rookie campaign.

A win in his first race has been followed up by a number of podiums for Bulega, who has also successfully integrated into Ducati’s WorldSBK team alongside Bautista.

“I feel good,” Bulega told WorldSBK.com ahead of this weekend’s French Round at Magny-Cours on the subject of Bautista’s renewal. “It’s good news, also for me, because I have a great relationship with Alvaro [Bautista], I learn a lot of things from him every weekend, I check his data every session.”

Bulega said that his time as Bautista’s teammate so far has been instructive, rather than a tough match-up as had been perhaps expected before the season as he walked into the garage of the reigning and two-time WorldSBK Champion.

“Someone said at the beginning of the season that it was very difficult for me to have him as a teammate, but for me it was a very good opportunity because I knew that I could understand a lot of things from him.

“It was not a bad news for me to be his teammate, so I’m happy to have him again next year.”