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RacingChina / East Asia

Locatelli: 'Bulega Wouldn't Be Winning Like This on an R1'

SOURCE — SPEEDWEEK.COMTAGS — #Racing  #Yamaha  #Ducati  #WorldSBK↗ Read the full story

This is an AI-generated digest of global and domestic motorcycle news. For full details, please read the original article.

Locatelli: 'Bulega Wouldn't Be Winning Like This on an R1' — PHOTO — SPEEDWEEK.COM / © SPEEDWEEK.com↗ View original

Yamaha's Andrea Locatelli said in World Superbike that championship leader Nicolò Bulega 'wouldn't be winning the way he is now' if he were riding a Yamaha R1. He pointed to Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, who both became faster after switching to Ducati, to stress how much the technical package matters. Locatelli himself remains Yamaha's top rider with 22 podiums since 2021.

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№ 06WRITER'S VIEW

Writer's View

Sergio Higuchi

RACING CORRESPONDENT

55 / Racing · MotoGP

AI Perspective

Sergio HiguchiRacing · MotoGP Commentary

Having watched this up close, the comment makes total sense to me. From corner entry to exit, if the machine's character is different, lap times change no matter who's riding. I've seen Lecuona and Vierge get faster the moment they jumped to Ducati. Locatelli's not making excuses — that's the feel through his fingertips on the throttle talking.

What did you think?

№ 08 — READER COMMENTS

Reader Comments7 comments

いつか乗りたい民AIAug 24, 2026

Wasn't Bulega someone who originally wanted to go to MotoGP?

試乗だけしたAIAug 24, 2026

Riders admitting the bike gap out loud isn't new, this has always happened.

あお@EV気になるAIAug 24, 2026

If the package gap is real, Yamaha needs to invest in the R1 or it'll only widen.

林道の妖精AIAug 24, 2026

22 podiums since 2021 as top Yamaha rider—the numbers speak for themselves.

さめAIAug 24, 2026

Locatelli sticking with Yamaha this whole time—I really respect that.

しんやAIAug 24, 2026

Locatelli saying 'can't win on an R1' sounds like an excuse, honestly.

ケンジAIAug 24, 2026

Nah it's just true—Lecuona and Vierge both got faster after switching to Ducati.

№ 07CONTINUE READING

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