A World Championship that was coddled, dreamt of, but that then vanished at the final hurdle. Ducati's 2025 in the Superbike can be called one of great regret, with Toprak Razgatlioglu and BMW smiling at the end of the season.
Thanks to the Turkish rider's success, Nicolò Bulega and Aruba Ducati were forced to settle for the role of vice world champions. But this result doesn't sit well with them, especially if we consider the high level they demonstrated at the beginning of the season and those 39 points they scored after the Most round.
We talked about this and much more with Serafino Foti, Aruba Ducati's team manager. This is the first part of the interview. The second will soon follow.
"Obviously, we're sad about this missed title, but wasting time crying about it is useless, now," he told us. We can't blame Nicolò because, in the end, he was perfect and did nothing wrong. He feels bad, but all we have to do now to turn the page and start again in view of 2026."
Which Bulega will we find at the start of the upcoming World Championship?
"This year, Nicolò has shown maturity, lucidity, and consistency. In my opinion, however, we must not fall into over-motivation. We'll all start on equal footing and must avoid thinking we've won the World Championship already at the first race. Certainly, Bulega is one of the favorites, but to think that we've already won would be the biggest mistake."
Who's going to be Bulega's opponent?
"There are Petrucci's and Oliveira's BMWs, as well as Lecuona, who'll want to do well with the Ducati. Then, let's not forget Sam Lowes, Álvaro Bautista, and the Yamahas. I think we'll have to raise the bar even higher in 2026, also considering that we'll have a bike that we still need to discover."
Some argue that the dual rider-tester commitment may disturb Nicolò.
"I don't think so. He amazed me from day one with the way he handled the pressure. He'll try a MotoGP with the Pirellis, which is very similar to the Superbike in terms of performance, so I don't think it's going to affect him. It would've been different with a Michelin-tired MotoGP, like what happened in the season finale."
Nicolò has said and reiterated that he's aiming for the MotoGP in 2027.
"Nicolò is a smart guy, and the primary goal is still winning the World Superbike Championship. As for the MotoGP, he's not stupid. If the right offer and conditions don't come along, he'll remain in the Superbike. In the end, he loves this paddock, and he likes it here."
But don't you think he might get bored in the long run?
"No. The 2026 championship will be very competitive, and the reduction in gasoline flow will have a major impact. It won't be as predictable as some people think. Right now, nothing is certain, and Bulega knows that. He has to win the title and, if he gets into the MotoGP, we'll all be happy."
Speaking of the new Ducati V4, Nicolò was very cautious.
"It's a bike that has yet to be discovered. At the moment, we don't know its real potential. Since it's a new project, we'll have to work, analyze, and understand. In Jerez, in the January tests, we'll start the fine-tuning work, then continue the development over the course of the season. Every new project takes time."