Overview
- Ducati announced on Wednesday that Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia will leave the factory Ducati Lenovo Team at the end of the 2026 season while he will continue to race for Ducati through the Comunitat Valenciana finale.
- Aprilia confirmed on Thursday that it has signed Bagnaia on a reported four-year deal starting in 2027 to pair him with Marco Bezzecchi and framed the move as a statement of Italian identity for its factory team.
- Ducati moved quickly after the split and has officially signed Pedro Acosta to a two-year contract to replace Bagnaia in the Ducati Lenovo Team.
- Ducati also renewed Marc Márquez before the split, creating a new factory pairing of Márquez and Acosta that the team says balances experience with young talent.
- Bagnaia's eight-season run at Ducati produced two MotoGP titles and the manufacturer's highest recent totals for wins, podiums and poles, and the transfers are being read as teams positioning for the 2027 engine and technical changes that could trigger further rider moves.