Valentino Rossi's new recruit destroys two records before VR46 arrival

Nicolò Bulega has smashed two major WorldSBK records before his planned move to MotoGP with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Racing in 2027. The 26-year-old, already a WorldSBK champion, sealed his title at Cremona and then continued his run in Portugal at Estoril by winning all three races for a ninth clean sweep of the season—28 victories out of 33 possible. That haul set a new WorldSBK record, surpassing Álvaro Bautista’s 27 set in 2023. Bulega also reached 664 points, beating Jonathan Rea’s 663 from 2019, with three races remaining, including the season finale in Jerez.