Marco Bezzecchi
The rider market has sprung into action for the 2027 MotoGP season, with Fabio Quartararo and Jorge Martin already confirming their next moves.
With several riders out of contract in 2026, many people expected the MotoGP rider market to kick off before the season started, with manufacturers looking to fight for the top talent on the grid.
Sure enough, there have already been some staggering moves. Quartararo is set to join Honda in 2027 on a two-year contract, having threatened Yamaha that he would leave after years of underperformance.
Wow! Did you see this one coming?
They may have lost their star rider, but the Iwata outfit have wasted no time in finding his replacement. Jorge Martin is Yamaha-bound from Aprilia in 2027, thus kicking off what is set to be a hectic rider market.
With those two transfers seemingly done, it begs the question as to who will be the next rider to move teams. Here at MotoGP News, we’ve had a look at predicting the next five.
Pedro Acosta – KTM to Ducati
With Quartararo and Martin already making their moves, Pedro Acosta is set on leaving KTM. The Spaniard wants to tie down his future before the 2026 season starts, so it may be quite easy to predict him as the next to confirm his 2027 transfer.
Where the 21-year-old ends up has been on everyone’s mind. VR46 and Honda have been linked with Acosta in recent months, with Valentino Rossi being particularly keen to bring him to his team after he tried to break his KTM contract in 2025.
Have Ducati made the right decision? 💣
However, reports have suggested that Acosta has already signed with Ducati for 2027. The Bologna Bullets view him as the top candidate to partner with Marc Marquez, who has also signed his new contract.
Acosta wants to ride a Ducati and win the MotoGP championship, and they will give him the best chance to do that. One would not be surprised to see this transfer happen next, after Quartararo and Martin’s bombshells.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Pedro Acosta from net worth to girlfriend
Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati to Yamaha
Chances are, Francesco Bagnaia will want to bide his time with the rider market and see how 2026 plans out. After all, he has expressed his desire to stay at Ducati and prove his worth on the GP26.
But with Marquez already signed and Acosta potentially inbound, the Italian may already be out of time, and he knows it. Bagnaia is realising he might have to leave Ducati and head to a new manufacturer.
The 29-year-old has long been linked with Yamaha, and while they have signed Martin to replace Quartararo, bringing in Bagnaia would give them a powerful line-up.
There is Toprak Razgatlioglu to consider, who Yamaha will certainly have for the future. But given the past links and Bagnaia’s links to Yamaha legend Rossi, this move could be a match made in heaven and the one that revives his MotoGP career.
Fermin Aldeguer – Gresini to VR46
In 2026, there is set to be a lot of movement among the Ducati teams. VR46 will drop Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli, opening the door for two new riders.
Acosta is Rossi’s main target, but with him bound for the factory team, VR46 will have to consider other options, and fast. Thankfully, Rossi has a ‘Plan B’: Fermin Aldeguer.
The Spaniard was linked to Rossi’s squad before joining MotoGP in 2025, but turned down the move. Now with Gresini, he is making a name for himself after a strong rookie season.
But Aldeguer will be looking to progress, and he missed out on a factory bike to his teammate, Alex Marquez. VR46 can offer that in 2027, with Diggia and Morbidelli set to leave – the 20-year-old is the perfect alternative to Acosta.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Fermin Aldeguer with his rise to MotoGP and height
David Alonso – Moto2 to VR46
Rossi’s ‘Plan B’ for VR46 is to focus on two new riders. According to reports, Aldeguer is one, and the other is Moto2 rider David Alonso.
Which 2026 Moto2 rider deserves to be on the MotoGP grid?
After winning the Moto3 title in commanding fashion, the Colombian had a strong debut year in the intermediate class, finishing ninth with one win and five podiums. Expected to be a strong contender in 2026, Alonso is being tipped for a MotoGP move in 2027.
In fact, Ducati chief Luigi Dall’igna wants Alonso in his setup, thus heightening the VR46 links. If Rossi’s plan for Acosta fails, expect him to move fast to execute his backup strategy and sign Alonso alongside Aldeguer.
Ai Ogura – Trackhouse to Aprilia
With Martin off to Yamaha, Aprilia need a replacement to go alongside Marco Bezzecchi. But they may not be in too much of a rush, considering that they already have strong riders in their line-up.
Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura is a future talent who displayed some impressive performances in his rookie season last year. While crashes and injuries hurt his campaign, his ability is unquestionable and Aprilia rate him highly.
Raul Fernandez will be strong competition, but Aprilia have Ogura for the future, and with Martin gone, it makes sense to hand the Japanese rider a promotion to the factory team.
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