Ducati is now expected to prevent Cristian Gabarini from following Francesco Bagnaia to Aprilia as the two-time champion joins their rivals for the 2027 MotoGP season.
Borgo Pangale team members are widely believed to have called time on the 29-year-old to ride for the team before his contract expires at the end of 2026. Bagnaya They lost faith Ducati Hierarchy is off to a rough start in 2026, with a disastrous 2025 season.
It appeared in early December 2025 They have decided to replace the Ducati Bagnaia After Italy dropped to fifth in last season’s rider rankings. At the beginning of 2026, the KTM star appeared Pedro Acosta will replace Bagnaia at Ducati from 2027. After agreeing to a two-year contract.
Bagnaia quickly scouted the market for his potential next home, and initially it looked like he was set to join Yamaha for the 2027 MotoGP regulations debut. But Bagnaia returned from joining Yamaha in favor of ApriliaTo whom he will partner Marco Bezecici.
Is Francesco Bagnaia a MotoGP legend?
Ducati is now set to ban Cristian Gabbarini from joining Francesco Bagna at Aprilia.
It was recently reported that Bagnaia wants to take Gabbarini with him to Aprilia in 2027It is also not said that Ducati will remain united. Gabbarini left the Bullets of Bologna once after moving to Honda following Casey Stoner, but returned in 2017.
Read more: The best moments of Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP career
Christmas Engine footprint Now Bagnaia says he could join the Ducati crew chief without him. Gabbarrini. Ducati looks set to prevent the Italian engineer from moving to Noale as the Turin-born racer signs a two-year contract with an option until 2030.
Gabbarini worked at Bagnaia’s side before the 31-time MotoGP Grand Prix winner set foot in the factory Ducati garage in 2021, joining forces when the Italian started for Pramac in 2019 and worked alongside Jorge Lorenzo at Ducati in 2017 and ’18.
It remains to be seen how Bagnaia will react to Ducati’s expected decision to move to Aprilia so that Gabarrini will not follow him when the 27-time MotoGP pole vaulter moves on next year. Ducati’s stance threatens to put another hurdle in Bagnaia’s path as he adapts to the new team.
Bagnaia knows how the 29-year-old works in the garage and what he wants from his bike after eight seasons, so there’s no doubt he wants Gabbarini to follow him as team boss. Now, he’s faced with dealing with a new chief of staff.
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