Ducati has just confirmed Álvaro Bautista’s new teammate for the 2024 Superbike World Championship, with Nicolò Bulega being the chosen one.
The current leader of the Supersport world championship had already been rumored to replace Michael Ruben Rinaldi, as the good performances of #11 combined with Rinaldi’s non-renewal hinted that this change could already be in the plans.
The confirmation, however, only came recently, with Bulega thus joining the main team of the Italian manufacturer just three years after making his debut in WSSP, being the first to sign a contract with the Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team in 2022.
Rinaldi says goodbye to the team three years after his arrival, where he has so far achieved three victories and 16 podiums.
Stefano Cecconi, Team Manager of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, spoke about the new chapter for the team and for Bulega: ‘Nicolò is a choice that makes us proud because it confirms the quality of the project we started two years ago in World Supersport. His growth has been constant and we hope he continues on this path behind the wheel of a Panigale V4 R, as he has proven to be very fast with this bike during testing. From the beginning, we believed in Nicolò’s talent, who, moreover, in this year and a half has shown great professionalism and loyalty to the team’s colors’.
The manager also did not forget Rinaldi: ‘I would also like to extend a big thank you to Michael Ruben Rinaldi, with whom the professional and personal relationship has always been very strong. Even though our paths may separate, he will always be part of our family. Good luck, Michael’.
