Two-time MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia is heading to Aprilia after signing a four-year contract with the Italian-based team, which made the announcement on Thursday — just one day after Ducati confirmed his departure. KTM’s Pedro Acosta is set to replace Bagnaia at Ducati beginning next year.
Bagnaia is slated to join Aprilia at the start of the 2027 MotoGP season, where he will partner with Marco Bezzecchi, creating an all-Italian lineup at the Noale-based manufacturer.
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola spoke enthusiastically about the signing, connecting it to a broader moment of Italian sporting success. “Bagnaia’s arrival is a confirmation of the value of Italian sport, which in recent months has distinguished itself on the world stage thanks to the achievements of Kimi Antonelli in Formula 1, Jannik Sinner in tennis, and Federica Brignone at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026,” Rivola said. “Having a multiple world champion is a responsibility we can’t wait to take on.”
Bagnaia’s time with Ducati will officially come to a close at the Valencia Grand Prix at the end of November, wrapping up an eight-year run with the Italian manufacturer. He joined Ducati as a rookie in 2019 and went on to become the team’s most decorated rider in history, capturing Ducati’s first riders’ championship in 15 years back in 2022. Over his career with the squad, the 29-year-old racked up 31 race wins, 62 podium finishes, and 28 pole positions.
Despite that impressive resume, Bagnaia has faced mounting challenges over the past year and a half, struggling to keep up with teammate Marc Marquez after Marquez joined the factory Ducati team in 2025. Marquez went on to dominate the most recent season, claiming his seventh world title, while Bagnaia finished fifth — a full 257 points behind the Spanish rider.
