Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia faced an unfamiliar atmosphere as he attended Ducati’s 2026 bike launch on Monday. For the first time since he joined the team, he enters the year fighting for his seat.
Like most of the field, Bagnaia is out of contract at the end of the season, and if he continues to perform like he did in 2025, it’s difficult to envisage Ducati extending his deal.
The Italian finished the year with more DNFs (nine) than Grand Prix podiums (eight). On the same bike, Marc Marquez was 257 points ahead – despite missing the last four weekends through injury.
Would this line-up create too much conflict at Ducati?
Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola even predicted that Ducati would replace Bagnaia for 2027 and sign Pedro Acosta instead.
Luigi Dall’Igna tells Massimo Rivola to focus on his own team
At Ducati’s launch, Rivola’s counterpart Luigi Dall’Igna was asked for his response to those comments.
He refused to engage, hinting that Rivola should focus on his own team instead. Aprilia emerged as the main threat to Ducati in the second half of the 2025 season.
Marco Bezzecchi was beginning to challenge the previously dominant Marquez before the Spaniard’s season-ending injury.
Francesco Bagnaia will finish … in the MotoGP championship in 2026
This early exchange between Dall’Igna and Rivola suggests a genuine Ducati/Aprilia rivalry could be about to develop.
“I saw that Rivola spoke more about Ducati than Aprilia at his presentation,” he said, via Moto.it. “Obviously, I’ll let him make all the considerations he wants.”
What did Francesco Bagnaia say about Ducati future at 2026 launch?
Marquez was also asked about Rivola’s remarks but said he wouldn’t discuss potential changes on the other side of the garage out of respect for Bagnaia.
Bagnaia is ‘extremely relaxed’ about his future despite the very real pressure. While his priority is to stay with Ducati, he is likely to have offers on the table from rival factories.
Much like Dall’Igna, Tardozzi wouldn’t be drawn on Bagnaia’s future on Monday, simply saying that everyone at Ducati will be under ‘scrutiny’ this year.
Bagnaia remains the only rider to win multiple MotoGP championships for Ducati (2022, 2023), though Marquez will hope to change that this year.
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