Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia’s poor form in 2025 raised a question mark over his future at Ducati, and we now seemingly have an answer.
Ducati’s star rider line-up of Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez had massively contrasting seasons during the 2025 MotoGP campaign, with the former struggling to adapt to the GP25 and the latter hitting the ground running with it.
The Italian rider did show signs of a potential turnaround during the season, namely his perfect race weekend in Motegi, but he just never managed to get total control over the factory spec bike.
He ended the season with six retirements in the final seven rounds, which marked his worst season yet at Borgo Panigale.
Bagnaia has made it clear that he wants to retire at Ducati, but he may not be given that opportunity following a fresh report on what the Italian constructor plans to do for the 2027 season.
- READ MORE: Ducati CEO sets Francesco Bagnaia a clear 2026 target after being dominated by Marc Marquez
Francesco Bagnaia on his MotoGP future
Francesco Bagnaia’s exit from Ducati may already be ‘sealed and decreed’
According to a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport that details a potential Ducati exit for Davide Tardozzi at the end of 2026, Bagnaia’s fate at the team is also understood to have already been ‘sealed’.
The Italian rider’s struggles, which saw him drop down the order to fifth place in the riders’ standings by the end of the season, are a leading factor in the reported break-up.
An overarching narrative at Borgo Panigale during the 2025 season, aside from Marquez’s dominance, was Ducati’s inability to solve Bagnaia’s problems.
The 28-year-old struggled massively atop the factory spec GP25, claiming just two Grand Prix victories compared to the 11 that his Ducati counterpart secured.
As outlined in the report, Bagnaia’s questionable campaign has seen his ‘sporting relationship’ with Ducati dwindle to a point where he will be leaving the factory outfit upon the expiry of his current contract, which runs until the end of 2026.
It remains to be seen who the Italian constructor opts to replace him with. At this moment in time, they certainly aren’t short of candidates due to their status on the grid as having the most dominant bike.
Who is Ducati’s BEST option if they have to replace Francesco Bagnaia?
Three names are on Ducati’s shortlist to replace Francesco Bagnaia at the MotoGP team
As his performances continued to dwindle with every passing race weekend, possible replacements for the 28-year-old also started to crop up.
Alex Marquez’s impressive results on last year’s spec of bike saw his name enter the fold. The Gresini rider is being rewarded with a factory prototype for next season because of it, and he’s regarded as one of the main threats to his brother’s title defence.
Alex’s counterpart at the satellite team is also a candidate. Fermin Aldeguer is heading into his sophomore season after impressing in his rookie campaign, and Ducati hold very high hopes for the Spaniard becoming the future flag-bearer for the team.
Fabio Quartararo has been touted as well, due to his restlessness at Yamaha. The Japanese constructor’s machinery hasn’t been up to par in recent years, and the Frenchman is desperate to add another world title to his tally.
However, Marc Marquez’s salary demands may block an arrival from Quartararo. The 2025 title-winner was on a relatively low pay-grade for someone of his calibre, and he may look to be rewarded for his feats during negotiations beyond the 2026 season.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
