Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia is now ‘on the verge’ of signing for Aprilia for the 2027 MotoGP season after favouring a competitive bike over a bigger wage to join Yamaha.
Bagnaia is one of the biggest names on the MotoGP rider market for the 2027 season, as the two-time champion is widely expected to be replaced with Ducati set to sign KTM star Pedro Acosta. Bagnaia’s relationship with Ducati reached the point of no return after his dire 2025.
The 29-year-old fought for the premier class title each season from 2021 to 2024 and won it in 2022 and 2023. But Bagnaia failed to adapt to Ducati’s 2025 bike, and he ultimately only earned fifth place in the standings after failing to finish six out of the final seven Grands Prix.
Aprilia and Yamaha quickly set their sights on signing Bagnaia, though, as Jorge Martin is in talks to leave Aprilia and join Yamaha as the Japanese constructor seek a new all-star team. Yamaha pilot Fabio Quartararo is set to join Honda and Alex Rins is out of contract this year.
If you were Francesco Bagnaia, would you pick Aprilia’s bike or Yamaha’s money?
Francesco Bagnaia is set to snub Yamaha’s ‘big-money’ contract as Aprilia’s bike is faster
It had appeared that Yamaha were set to beat Aprilia to sign Bagnaia, as well, but talks over the past 24 hours have flipped the script. That is according to The Race, which reports that Bagnaia is ‘on the verge’ of signing a two-year Aprilia contract to move to Noale from 2027.
READ MORE: The best moments of Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP career
Yamaha had slapped a ‘big-money offer’ on Bagnaia’s table, but Aprilia remained keen on a deal and have now convinced him to join them. The Turin native has opted to snub Yamaha despite their ‘significantly more substantial’ offer as he is prioritising having a stronger bike.
Aprilia’s RS-GP has turned Bagnaia’s head away from Yamaha’s riches, as his desire is to get back to winning ways ‘as quickly as possible’ after enduring a miserable campaign last year. And while Yamaha’s new V4 engine has potential to unlock, it could take them a lot of time.
Pecco Bagnaia could earn £3.5m a year less by joining Aprilia instead of Yamaha in 2027
Bagnaia and Aprilia are now in the final stages of negotiating the smaller details of his move from Ducati in 2027. It follows reports from Italy earlier this week that had claimed Bagnaia and Aprilia were finalising a three-year contract for him to partner friend Marco Bezzecchi.
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Bezzecchi signed a new two-year contract with Aprilia at the start of February, as he was set to be out of contract in 2026 like Martin and Bagnaia. Now, the Italian team are set to boast an all-Italian line-up in what many MotoGP fans had believed would be Bagnaia’s best move.
A number of MotoGP fans feared Bagnaia would make a mistake by joining Yamaha instead of Aprilia when reports emerged suggesting the Ducati pilot was leaning towards a move to Iwata. But Bagnaia has now had a change of heart and is prioritising Aprilia’s stronger bike.
Aprilia have only offered Bagnaia a £2.6m-a-year contract to join them, but the RS-GP is one of the best bikes on the grid and Yamaha have one of the worst bikes. It is said that Yamaha have a budget of around £10.5m to sign Bagnaia and Martin, who the outfit offered £4.5m.
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