Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna has come under fire for one comment he made about Francesco Bagnaia whilst the Bologna Bullets revealed their 2026 MotoGP bike.
The Borgo Panigale squad took the covers off the new GP26 in Madonna di Campiglio earlier in January, as Ducati unveiled a matte Rosso Centenario livery with a double white stripe for their 100th anniversary. Ducati are also sitting on 99 MotoGP Grand Prix wins entering 2026.
Marc Marquez and Bagnaia combined to hand the factory Ducati team 13 Grand Prix wins in 2025, with the former scoring 11 of those en route to the title. Bagnaia won in America after Marquez crashed out of the lead, and he later won from pole in Japan to complete a double.
Ducati’s Marquez won the 2025 MotoGP title with five rounds to spare, as he left Japan with a 201-point lead over Alex Marquez of Gresini atop the standings. Bagnaia ranked third after he won the Japanese GP, but trailed his teammate by 267 points across 17 of the 22 rounds.
Finish the sentence: In 2027, Francesco Bagnaia will be racing for…
Luigi Dall’Igna slammed for saying Marc Marquez is Ducati’s priority over Francesco Bagnaia
Bagnaia eventually fell to fifth in the 2025 standings, as his victory in Japan would ultimately mark the 29-year-old’s sole finish through the final seven rounds. So, Dall’Igna and his fellow Ducati chiefs have confirmed that Marquez is their priority when it comes to a new contract.
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Dall’Igna has described Marquez agreeing to a new contract as his “number one goal”, as he is out of contract at the end of this year. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and team manager Davide Tardozzi have even branded Marquez’s new contract as the Italian outfit’s “priority”.
But Livio Suppo does not believe it was “appropriate” for Dall’Igna to say on the record that Ducati will only consider their second rider once Marquez agrees his new contract, without naming Bagnaia. It will also not help Bagnaia to hear his Ducati bosses almost overlook him.
“Gigi is a technical genius, but that statement wasn’t entirely appropriate”, Suppo has told Fanpage. “Pecco had a season far below expectations. And when you’re already struggling, certain words become harsh.
“Marquez does not need public encouragement, he’s a self-sustaining player. Pecco, on the other hand, is different, and you have to pay more attention to communication, too, if you want to help him.”
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Dall’Igna’s comments about Marquez’s new contract being Ducati’s priority were a clear sign of where Bagnaia now features in their thoughts, despite winning the 2022 and 2023 riders’ titles for the team and fighting to within 26 points of the title in 2021 and 10 points in 2024.
But what is worse for Bagnaia is the reports that Ducati have agreed to sign Pedro Acosta in 2027, with the KTM ace expected to join Marquez in Borgo Panigale on a two-year contract. It is also said that Marquez has agreed to sign a new two-year contract to stay with Ducati.
With Fabio Quartararo set to join Honda in 2027 and Yamaha set to sign Jorge Martin as the Frenchman’s replacement, it remains to be seen where Bagnaia will end up in the market. A move to either of the Japanese crews or Italian rival Aprilia may still be possible for Bagnaia.
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