BREAKING: PECCO BAGNAIA TO LEAVE DUCATI AT THE END OF THE 2026 SEASON
One of the most important partnerships in modern MotoGP is coming to an end. Francesco Bagnaia will officially leave Ducati at the conclusion of the 2026 MotoGP season after months of speculation regarding his future with the Italian manufacturer.
The decision closes a remarkable chapter for both rider and team. Since joining the factory Ducati project, Bagnaia became one of the most successful riders in the history of the Bologna manufacturer, helping transform Ducati into the dominant force of modern MotoGP.
After several seasons together, countless victories and multiple championship battles, the partnership that delivered so much success will now come to an end.
Bagnaia joined Ducati’s MotoGP program in 2019 after spending his rookie season with Pramac Racing and quickly established himself as the leader of the Italian manufacturer’s future plans.
His greatest achievement came in 2022 when he delivered Ducati’s first riders’ championship since Casey Stoner’s title-winning campaign in 2007. After overcoming a large points deficit during the season, Bagnaia completed one of the greatest comebacks in MotoGP history to bring the number one plate back to Borgo Panigale.
He successfully defended the title in 2023, becoming Ducati’s first back-to-back world champion in the MotoGP era and cementing his place among the manufacturer’s greatest riders.
The arrival of Marc Márquez at Ducati changed the balance inside the garage almost immediately. The eight-time world champion quickly adapted to the Desmosedici and once again became one of the leading figures in the championship fight. At the same time, Ducati management began looking toward the future and evaluating how to build the strongest possible lineup for MotoGP’s next generation.
The two-time world champion is now widely expected to join Aprilia Racing for the 2027 season, where he would partner fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi in what could become one of the most exciting projects in the MotoGP paddock.
Under the leadership of Massimo Rivola, Aprilia has transformed itself from an occasional podium contender into a regular challenger for victories. The RS-GP has become the strongest motorcycles on the grid, and many within the paddock believe the manufacturer is perfectly positioned to take advantage of MotoGP’s major regulation changes arriving in 2027.
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