Nicolo Bulega became the 2026 World Superbike champion at the Cremona round in Italy. The title stands out partly because of the route he took to reach it. Strong expectations followed him through the junior classes, but his Moto3 and later Moto2 results did not match those early forecasts. His Grand Prix path ended after the 2021 season, and he moved to World Supersport.
That switch changed the direction of his career. Bulega took nine World Supersport podiums in 2022, then won 16 races and the championship in 2023. The title brought him into WorldSBK with Ducati. He won his first Superbike race in Australia in 2024, his debut season, and finished runner-up in the overall standings in both 2024 and 2025.
In the first eight rounds of 2026, Bulega took 23 wins, including a run of 21 in succession. The title secured at Cremona made him the first rider to win both the World Supersport and World Superbike championships. His career illustrates how a change of series can reshape a rider’s prospects when the team and machinery suit their strengths.