BREAKING: PECCO BAGNAIA OFFICIALLY JOINS APRILIA WITH A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT
One of the biggest rider transfers in recent MotoGP history is now official. Two-time MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia will leave Ducati at the end of the 2026 season and join Aprilia Racing as a factory rider for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons. The Italian star will partner fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi in what many fans are already calling an “Italian dream team.”
The move brings an end to Bagnaia’s long and extremely successful relationship with Ducati. Since joining the manufacturer’s MotoGP project in 2019 after his rookie season with Pramac, Pecco became one of the most successful riders in Ducati history. During his time in red, he delivered the manufacturer’s first riders’ championship in 15 years when he won the title in 2022, before successfully defending it again in 2023. By the time he leaves Bologna, he will have collected more than 30 victories, over 60 podium finishes and nearly 30 pole positions with the Italian manufacturer.
However, the arrival of Marc Marquez to the factory Ducati team changed the balance inside the garage. Marquez quickly established himself as the team’s leading rider, while Ducati management began planning for the future around the eight-time world champion and rising superstar Pedro Acosta. Ducati has already confirmed Acosta will replace Bagnaia from 2027 onwards, creating a new super team consisting of Marquez and Acosta for MotoGP’s new era.
For Bagnaia, the decision to join Aprilia represents a fresh start at exactly the right moment. Several manufacturers were interested in signing the Italian, including Yamaha, but reports throughout the season suggested that Pecco was most impressed by Aprilia’s technical project and long-term ambitions. The RS-GP has become the most competitive motorcycles on the grid this season, and many inside the paddock believe Aprilia is in the best position to challenge Ducati’s dominance in the upcoming regulations era.
The timing of the move is particularly important because MotoGP will introduce completely new technical regulations in 2027. Engine capacity will be reduced from 1000cc to 850cc, while tyre supplier Pirelli will replace Michelin for the premier class. These changes are expected to shake up the competitive order and create opportunities for manufacturers that may have struggled under the current rules.
Bagnaia’s arrival also gives Aprilia arguably the strongest rider line-up in its MotoGP history. Marco Bezzecchi had already committed his future to the Noale manufacturer with a multi-year extension signed earlier this year after an impressive 2025 campaign. The former VR46 rider played a major role in developing the RS-GP and established himself as one of the fastest riders on the grid, making him the perfect teammate for Bagnaia.
The partnership between Bagnaia and Bezzecchi adds another interesting element to the story because the two Italians are close friends away from the racetrack. Both riders grew up through the VR46 Academy system created by Valentino Rossi and have known each other for many years. Their friendship has led many fans to compare the project to an Italian national team, with Italian riders racing an Italian motorcycle for an Italian manufacturer.
For Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola, signing Bagnaia is perhaps the biggest statement in the company’s MotoGP history. For years, Aprilia was seen as an outsider fighting simply for podiums and occasional victories. Today, the manufacturer is attracting world champions and building a project capable of fighting for titles every season.
Questions still remain regarding the future of Jorge Martin and the wider rider market, but one thing is already certain: the 2027 MotoGP grid is going to look very different from the one fans know today. Marquez and Acosta will lead Ducati, while Bagnaia and Bezzecchi will spearhead Aprilia’s championship ambitions.
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