Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati’s priority in the 2027 MotoGP rider market is obvious – retaining world champion Marc Marquez.
Ducati face competition from Honda for Marquez’s signature, but it remains likely that a deal will get done. Once that is finalised, they can assemble the rest of their line-up.
Francesco Bagnaia’s future is in doubt after a desperate 2025 season, but he can still save himself by starting the year strongly. If he fails, Bagnaia could lose his seat to Fermin Aldeguer.
You are Luigi Dall’Igna. Pick your SIX Ducati riders for the 2027 MotoGP season 👇
Despite finishing runner-up to his brother and receiving a factory-spec GP26, Alex Marquez isn’t seen as a Ducati contender. At VR46, meanwhile, Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio must prove they are worthy of a continued place.
‘If there are no results, there’s no Fermin Aldeguer’
Aldeguer was MotoGP’s Rookie of the Year in 2025, though anything less would have been a failure given that his Ducati GP24 was superior to Ai Ogura’s Aprilia and Somkiat Chantra’s Honda.
Still, Aldeguer excited his Ducati bosses by winning his first Grand Prix in Indonesia and scoring six podiums over the course of the season (including Sprints).
It’s this form that has made Aldeguer the strongest internal candidate to replace Bagnaia. But the 20-year-old is taking nothing for granted.
Is Fermin Aldeguer a future MotoGP world champion?
Speaking to ‘La Obsesion Ciclista de Fred‘ on YouTube, he said he could still lose his seat if he’s stuck in the midfield next year.
“If there are no results, there’s no Fermin Aldeguer in MotoGP,” he said. “If you don’t have it, you’re out. We know how it is.
“Next year, if I average a P10 or lower, they’re going to send me home. It doesn’t surprise me because they’ve done it with so many riders. They send you home without batting an eye. Even with a contract, they can take it away.”
What was Fermin Aldeguer’s average finishing position in 2025?
Excluding DNFs, Aldeguer’s average finishing position last year was eighth, so P10 would clearly be insufficient in year two. Ducati will be expecting him to take a leap.
Aldeguer’s Murcian rival Pedro Acosta found consistency in his second year to go along with his formidable speed. The comparison with his KTM teammate tells the story – Acosta lost out to Brad Binder by two points in 2024, but outscored him by 152 this term.
Aldeguer also needs to beat Alex Marquez more regularly. Last year, the senior rider at Gresini was ahead in 20 out of 22 qualifying sessions.
Marquez will nominally be riding a superior bike in 2026, but the differences between specifications are likely to be smaller than ever at the end of the ruleset.
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