Francesco Bagnaia faces a make-or-break season to save his Ducati seat in 2026, as the Italian’s woes in 2025 leave his future at Borgo Panigale wide open.
Borgo Panigale has been home Bagnaya From 2021 and he is under factory contract Ducati In the year Since debuting in MotoGP with Pramac in 2019, the 28-year-old has He had a year to forget in 2025 which can now be used as the beginning of the end in factory skins.
Inability to adapt Bagnaya Infinite to the Ducati 2025 ride height device He’s been up against the GP25 all year, but especially after the summer break. The Italian has failed to finish six of his last seven Grands Prix and has fallen to fifth in the riders’ standings with 288 points.
The Turin native’s slide to fifth in the rankings may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. It is said that Ducati has decided to release Bagnaia In the year At the end of 2026, the factory contract will expire at the end of the upcoming campaign.
In 2025, Francesco Bagnaia, where did all this trouble go?
Comparison between Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia 2025 Grand Prix
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Apria could target Francesco Bagna as joining satellite Ducati team ‘out of the question’
Bagnaia wants to stay at Ducati for 2027 and beyond, however Motor sports magazine Marc Marquez has reportedly left Borgo Panigale ‘priority’ with a new contract, leaving his future completely open. Ducati will need to see a big improvement from Bagnaia to re-sign him.
Read more: The best moments of Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP career
The two-time MotoGP drivers’ champion needs a race year in 2026 to appeal to rival manufacturers. Bagnaia is ‘out of the question’ to accept a satellite Ducati ride for 2027, so he will target a move to another factory given his stature in the paddock.
Aprilia If Noale’s natives can replace him, he could target Bagnaia for 2027. George MartinMarco Bezecic is ready to complete the contract extension. However, Bagnaia will not be the only name on Aprilia’s list of candidates to replace the winning rider for the 2024 title.
Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer is the ‘most likely’ rider to replace Francesco Bagnaia.
In 2025 I would have claimed it Ducati intends to field Bagnaia in the VR46 for the 2026 MotoGP season.As the contract was said to have allowed Bologna Bullets to decide which team to ride as long as they got a factory bike. VR46 currently under contract to Ducati with Fabio Di Gianntonio in the field.
Change our mind: Francesco Bagnaia will not fight for the title in 2026.
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But Luigi Daleigna dismissed claims that Ducati would put Bagnaia in a satellite team. Since it is clear which team he will ride with under contract in October – in Di Gianntonio and Gresini star as their other factory contract riders Fermin Aldeger.
However, the 2027 season could see a changing of the guard as Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio are out of contract and Ducati could extend Aldeguerre’s factory deal. Ducati in 2010 Aldeguer will make his MotoGP debut in 2026 at Gresini on a two-year contract with options for 2028.
And Motorsport-Magazine has identified Aldeguer as the ‘rider most likely to replace Bagnaia at Ducati in 2027.’ The 20-year-old Spaniard is ‘very’ likely to activate his option to extend his contract. However, Ducati has yet to rule out the possibility of signing a rival team’s star rider instead.
