Bulega was✱ fast from the beginning as he showed the type of pace that could become a worry for the twꦗo-time WorldSBK champion.

Bulega then got stronger as the two-day ꦫtest went on as he claimed a P2 finish behind GRT Yamaha rider Remy Gardner.

• Andrea Iannoneﷺ wi🐽ll be ‘a pain in the arse to beat’, says Alex Lowes 
• Ducati issue an ominous assessment of Andrea Iannone’s✨ first WorldSBK test

Focusing on the new weight limit rule, Bautist🌟a didn’t attempt to set the world alight after w🌜inning all three races at the season-finale.

However, the Spaniard also didn’t expect to see Bulega be the top Ducati, telling WorldSBK.com: “I knew that Nicolo w𝓀as very fast and he rode the bike some times before in other tests, so he knew the bike a🐈lready. He has more or less a base setup. Sincerely, I didn’t expect it but I also expect it; he is fast and he got the feeling very quick with the bike. 

“At the moment, I am focused on myself and to try and iꦿmprove the bike wit🦂h the weight. 

“Fortunately, this isꦛ the first test so we have many days before the first race to find a good solution for our problems.”

Bautista’s co💝mments came following day-one where he praised the Italian for his performances en route to winning the Supersport tiꦓtle.

Bautista said: “He🅺’s a nice guy and talented rider, winning the title last year so for sure he’s fast. 

“He knows more or less the bike and has a base set-up. He will be one of the riders who fights for podiums and victories during ♒the season and it is nice to have a young rider like him because the first rider you want to beat is your teammate. 

“In the box, it’s like aဣn extra motivation▨ for me and the team on my side.”

Bulega wants to ‘beat everybody’

While finishing ahead of your team-mate is the main goal for any rider, especially wh꧋en that team-mate is the reigning world champion, Bulega is not looking solely at Baut♋ista.

Keen to make his mark in 2024, Bulega a🗹dded: “Honestly, I don’t know what kind of work Alvaro did. I don’t want to beat Alvaro, I would like to beat everybody! 

“Alꦗvaro is now the reference point for Ducati because he’s the best. He’s fast and it’ll be very difficult to beat him. 

“We still have a lot o𝕴f work to do and I’m still trying to learn the bike to understand better the DNA of this bike because it’s more difficult than WorldSSP. I🔯t’s all more. More brakes, more engine, more electronics.”