Here are the latest riders who could fit the factors for the new Aruba.it Racing - Ducati rider for the 2026 World Superbike season.

After the news that Nicolo Bulega would remain in the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati garage for 2026 and that Alvaro Bautista would depart at the end of 2025, many rumours have spread about who could enter the garage next season.

Every World Superbike rider who has an expiring deal will be trying to get a foot in the door at the factory Ducati squad. However, there will be some limiting factors when it comes to the replacement of the two-time World Superbike Champion.

It has been widely reported that with his new deal, Bulega took up the majority of the allotted budget for the World Superbike rider line-up. It is now believed that the factory team have €200,000 left to secure a second rider for 2026.

Serafino Foti, the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Team Manager, also suggested that Ducati will be looking for 'the right one for the future' when it comes to their new rider. Which would, in theory, rule out the older riders who have reportedly been knocking on the Ducati factory team's door.

With a limited budget and sights set on the future, here are the latest riders that could have a shot in the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati squad for the 2026 World Superbike Championship.

Iker Lecuona:

The main name in the World Superbike Championship that fits the criteria that Ducati have laid out is Iker Lecuona.

The 25-year-old, who will be 26 when the 2026 season gets underway, has been in the World Superbike Championship for four seasons, and has spent his entire Superbike career on the inferior Honda CBR1000RR0-R.

Lecuona has reportedly caught the eye of Gigi Dall'Igna and Stefano Cecconi during his time at Team HRC.

The young rider has shown glimpses of promise during his time with the Japanese manufacturer, as he has two podiums to his name. However, he has also shown a lapse in judgment and has suffered some silly crashes during his career.

At the end of the 2025 season, Lecuona's deal with Team HRC will come to an end, and he could walk away from the Japanese manufacturer. But his agreement to ride for Honda Racing Corporation at the Suzuka 8 Hours in August could suggest Honda's desire to retain Lecuona for 2026.

Jaume Masia:

As the top Ducati rider in the World Supersport Championship, Jaume Masia is an obvious name on the factory Ducati World Superbike teams shopping list.

The Spaniard arrived in the paddock with Orelac Racing Verdnatura after losing his Moto2 ride at the end of the 2024 season. Since his arrival, he has been on the pace since Round One and took his first podium at Cremona, before winning his first race at Most.

Masia finds himself fourth in the World Supersport Championship after six rounds and has a single race win and three further podiums to his name from his first 12 races as a Supersport rider.

The 24-year-old, who will be 25 come the start of the 2026 season, could be an option to promote into World Superbikes like the squad previously did with Bulega in 2024.

Aron Canet:

Outside of the World Superbike paddock, Ducati will have options in the Moto2 World Championship, and they could potentially secure the services of Aron Canet.

The Spaniard currently lies second in the Moto2 World Championship standings after ten races, and is five points behind the Championship leader.

Canet has been in Moto2 since the 2020 season, and has been a consistent title contender, but has always been overlooked by MotoGP teams. During his time in the Grand Prix paddock, Canet has won 11 races across Moto2 and Moto3, as well as standing on 39 further podiums.

In a recent interview, Canet admitted that he has offers to make the move to World Superbikes, and the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati squad could be a potential option

Senna Agius:

Recent reports from GPOne suggest that Senna Agius has made his way onto the Ducati shortlist due to his recent performances in the Moto2 World Championship.

The Australian rider is in his second full season in the Grand Prix paddock, and currently finds himself sixth in the standings after ten races.

Agius, who will be 21 in the 2026 season, has been riding for the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP squad and has won a race and stood on three further podiums during his relatively short Grand Prix career.

It seems unlikely that the young Aussie would be lured away from the chance of racing in MotoGP if his Moto2 career continues the way it has begun. However, he has clearly impressed the management figures in Bologna.