Francesco Bagnaia looks set to embark on a farewell tour with Ducati in the 2026 MotoGP season, with the two-time champion now expected to join Aprilia from 2027.
Far ahead Ducati It has been on the cards Bagnaya After enduring the worst campaign for their factory team in 2025 over the past few months. The 29-year-old dropped to fifth in the riders’ standings after failing to finish in six of the last seven Grands Prix last season.
Ducati sees Bagnaia’s P5 as the last straw in 2025. After not being able to adapt to their bike all year. As such, the Bologna Bullets have moved ahead to sign Pedro Acosta as the replacement for Bagnaia, whose KTM contract expires in 2026.
Acosta is on the verge of signing a two-year contract with Ducati In anticipation of the 2025 champion, they agree to a new agreement to collaborate with Marc Marquez. in order to, Bagnaia has now agreed to join Aprilia from 2027.With reports that he is set to sign a four-year contract for Nole natives.
Which Grand Prix victory did Marc Marquez not deserve?
Francesco Bagnaia believes the April move will allow him to race in 2026 with Ducati ‘without much defeat’.
Ducati decided to replace Bagnaia with KTM rider Acosta and the former agreed to move. Aprilia Before 2027 Before 2026 MotoGP season It’s all set to be a farewell visit to both riders from their crews this year. But Bagnaya was not worried.
Read more: From Marc Marquez to Jack Miller, the signatures of Luigi Dalei and Ducati riders have been ranked.
As he says Engine footprintBagnaya seemed calm about his future with Apriya in Buriram’s pre-season test last weekend. After last year’s struggles, he seemed ‘confident’ he could win his final year with Ducati without any ‘special pressure’ to prove himself.
Bagnaia appears to have ‘peace of mind’ by deciding his future over the winter and ahead of the 2026 season. So, the 31-time MotoGP Grand Prix winner will now look to take the campaign forward, assuming he doesn’t have too much to lose.
What does Pecco Bagnaia say about the future of MotoGP when dealing with Aprilia?
Bagnaia addressed the growing rumors surrounding his MotoGP future at the Buriram test last Saturday and confirmed that he had “decided” which outfit he would join before leaving Ducati. Even the Italian ad suggested it could be days away.
Who will be the first MotoGP rider to retire in 2026?
“I am completely focused on the test and the first race,” Bagnaia said. Motorsport.com. “In a few days the announcement of all the teams will come, we’ll see how it goes, wait for mine… Yes, I’ve decided now.”
It remains to be seen when Bagnaia officially confirms which team he will ride for in the 2027 MotoGP season. While the Turin native says that an announcement about the future is imminent, MotoGP teams have stopped showing their 2027 rider line-up.
MotoGP teams are reluctant to announce their individual riders as negotiations with series promoters are still ongoing. The deal between the teams and MotoGP expires after the 2026 season, so announcing riders could weaken the teams’ hand.
Receive competition news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
