Francesco Bagnaia was met with an unfamiliar atmosphere when he attended Ducati’s 2026 bike launch on Monday. He entered the year fighting for his first place since joining the team.
Like most plains, Bagnaya His contract expires at the end of the season, and if he continues to perform like he did in 2025, it’s hard to imagine Ducati extending his deal.
The Italian finished the year with more DNFs (nine) than Grand Prix podiums (eight). On the same bike, Marc Marquez leads the way with 257 points – despite missing the last four weekends with injury.
Will this lineup cause too much friction at Ducati?
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Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola predicted that Ducati would replace Bagnaia. for 2027 and sign Pedro Acosta instead.
Luigi Daleiga tells Massimo Rivola to focus on his own team.
The companion to the Ducati launch of the Revola Luigi Daligna They were asked to respond to those comments.
Rivola declined to participate, hinting that he should focus on his own team instead. The Apria emerged as Ducati’s main threat In the second half of 2025.
Marco Bezecchi began to challenge the previously dominant Marquez before the Spaniard’s season-ending injury.
Francesco Bagnaia will finish the MotoGP Championship in 2026
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This early exchange between Dall’Igna and Rival It suggests that a real Ducati/Epria rivalry could be brewing.
“I see Rivola talking more about Ducati than Aprilia in the presentation,” he said Moto.it. “Of course I’ll let him think whatever he wants.”
What does Francesco Bagnaia say about Ducati’s future with a 2026 launch?
Marquez was also asked about Rivola’s opinion. But out of respect for Bagnaia, he said he would not discuss potential changes on the other side of the garage.
Bagnaya is ‘very relaxed’ about the future. Despite the very real pressure. The priority is to stay with Ducati, but there may be offers on the table from rival factories.
Like Dali Igna, Tardozzi isn’t drawing on Bagnaya’s future. Everyone at Ducati will be ‘controlled’ this year, simply on Monday.
Bagnaia remains the only rider to have won multiple MotoGP championships for Ducati (2022, 2023), although Marquez hopes to change that this year.
