Ducati factory team stand-in Nicolo Bulega made a big first impression upon his return to the MotoGP paddock, with a strong showing in his first practice as a premier-class rider.
World Superbike star Bulega, standing in for injured 2025 champion Marc Marquez and with both Marquez's crew chief Marco Rigamonti and Bulega's WSBK crew chief Tommaso Raponi working with him this weekend, was competitive in both practice sessions despite very limited prior experience on the Desmosedici - which effectively entailed 30 or so laps in a rain-disrupted prep test at Jerez.
But Pol Espargaro, who shared the track with him during that test, said already on Thursday that Bulega had gone well on the MotoGP machine, and on Friday Bulega's team-mate Pecco Bagnaia was full of praise.
"He impressed me," said Bagnaia of Bulega, who ended the day 1.012s off the pace in 17th, ahead of five other riders.
"It’s true he did a test in Jerez, but he did it just to relax, and in not very good conditions.
"So arriving here in Portimao, that is one of the hardest [circuits] with the Michelin [tyres MotoGP uses], different kind of tyres compared to Jerez, different kind of grip compared to Jerez and doing the laptime he did, just one second behind the leader, is impressive. So for me, his day was spectacular."
VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio was less effusive - but insisted this was only because he had high expectations coming in.
Di Giannantonio was Bulega's (much, much stronger) team-mate back in Moto2 in 2021 at Gresini, which marked Bulega's final full season in the grand prix paddock up to now - as his initially promising career had hit a major speed bump.
"At the end, he's riding for the factory Ducati [team] so for sure he has a really good bike," Di Giannantonio said.
"Nico, actually, we grew up together in every category, we've been team-mates in Moto2, he's always been a fast rider. I expected to see him in a good way.
"And even if the position is not like P6, I think he's doing a good job, he's enjoying. So I think the scenario is exactly is how it should be."
In Bulega's own words
Bulega - who goes into the 2026 World Superbike campaign as a massive favourite and has already spoken of his ambition to make the switch to MotoGP the following year - did not appear hugely surprised by his position or performance, nor particularly energised by it.
"Honestly, if I check the gap it's not so bad," he said. "But today my only target was just to make experience, stay on the bike, make a lot of laps and understand all these different things that are different from a Superbike.
"There is not one incredible [difference], but everything is a little bit different.
"No devices, carbon brakes, engine is a bit faster, tyres - very, very different tyres [Michelins and Pirellis]. There is not one single point that is unbelievable. But everything put all together is big.
"The biggest problem now is that I have to think too much when I'm riding. Because I have to use the [ride height] device for the rear, I have to think when I brake because the front tyre is different compared to Pirelli, so I have to adjust a lot my riding style in the braking.
"I feel a lot of front locking when I brake. And this morning when I started I felt already from the first laps, when I brake, I felt sometimes I was losing the front.
"So, you have to adjust a lot your riding style for this, because in Superbike the first touch of braking you can be very-very aggressive, and you feel the bike stopping. Here, not a lot.
"So I have to change my riding style - but after two years in Superbike with Pirelli, it's not easy in one day to switch the riding style. I think if I can ride more natural, without thinking [about] all these things, I can be better."
Bulega will combine his WSBK title push with a MotoGP test role next year, Ducati is interested in his input also because MotoGP and WSBK will swap tyre suppliers in 2027 - with Pirelli taking over at the top level of grand prix racing.
This alone cannot secure him a seat for 2027, but this Friday has served as an early indication - and a strong indication at that - that the speed is fundamentally there to make it work.
In terms of the team environment, Bulega suggested that it felt "quite similar" to his factory Ducati team in WSBK.
"The only things here is when I stop and I go to my chair, in Superbike I have five-six people [listening], here I have 10 or 15," he explained. "You have more eyes and ears that want to listen to you."
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He also said that he expected to have more problems from a physical standpoint - though caveated that by saying that the shorter-runs nature of practice helped, while also arguing that his World Superbike background is helping.
"Superbike is already more physical than Moto2. So I think I'm more prepared than a Moto2 rider for MotoGP in this," he said.
