Magneti Marelli Checkstar renews its sponsorship with Nicolò Bulega for the 2026 Superbike World Championship

Magneti Marelli Checkstar proudly announces the renewal of its sponsorship with Nicolò Bulega for the 2026 season, a year in which the talented rider from Emilia aims for the top spot in Superbike. After securing two consecutive runner-up finishes in 2024 and 2025, Nicolò heads into the new championship as a leading contender for the world title.

Having already claimed the prestigious Best Rookie title in his debut Superbike season (2024), and with two impressive second-place finishes in 2024 and 2025, in 2026 Nicolò will continue to race aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 R 2026 for the Aruba.it Racing Ducati Team, alongside new teammate Iker Lecuona. Ducati has further enhanced the Panigale V4 R—already boasting 108 Superbike wins since its debut in 2019—with significant upgrades, including a double swingarm and an innovative front aerodynamics package engineered by Ducati Corse, the same division responsible for MotoGP aerodynamics.

A Champion’s Track Record

Nicolò Bulega is now ready to pursue the Superbike World Championship, after demonstrating outstanding determination over the past two seasons. His impressive Superbike record includes 20 victories, 56 podiums and 9 pole positions in just 72 races, in addition to the 2023 Supersport World Championship title. Last year, thanks to his results, he also stepped in for the injured Marc Marquez in the MotoGP Ducati team, gaining further top-level experience at the Portuguese and Valencia GPs.

Shared Values

As an ambassador for the Magneti Marelli Checkstar workshop network, Nicolò perfectly embodies the brand’s values of excellence, reliability, and professionalism. The longstanding partnership enables his direct involvement at races and customer events, as well as the creation of exclusive content within workshops part of the network, strengthening the brand’s position among industry professionals.

This year, Magneti Marelli Checkstar will again support Nicolò’s journey in the Superbike World Championship, proudly featuring the yellow and blue logo on his helmet.

A Top-Level Championship

The 2026 season began with a series of tests, building on those held last October at the Andalusian circuit of Jerez de la Frontera, where Nicolò and new teammate Iker Lecuona set the fastest laps aboard the new Ducati Panigale V4 R 2026. Further sessions took place in November and January at Jerez and at Portugal’s Algarve circuit, though weather conditions affected the proceedings. One final test is scheduled for February 16–17 at Phillip Island, right before the World Championship starts on the same circuit on February 20–22. The race marks the kick off of an intense season that will finish  on October 16–18 in Jerez, featuring 12 rounds, each with three free practice sessions, Superpole, Superpole Race, Warm-up, Race 1, and Race 2.

Complete 2026 Superbike World Championship Calendar

February 20–22: Australia (Phillip Island)

March 27–29: Portugal (Portimão)

April 17–19: Netherlands (Assen)

May 1–3: Hungary (Balaton Park)

May 15–17: Czech Republic (Most)

May 29–31: Spain-Aragón (Aragón)

June 12–14: Italy (Misano)

July 10–12: United Kingdom (Donington Park)

September 4–6: France (Magny-Cours)

September 25–27: Italy (Cremona Circuit)

October 9–11: Portugal (Estoril)

October 16–18: Spain-Jerez (Jerez de la Frontera)

Go Nicolò! Magneti Marelli Checkstar will support Nicolò Bulega throughout all 12 rounds of the 2026 Superbike World Championship.

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