Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha have had ‘initial’ talks with VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio as they start to look for an alternative to Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati, now that he looks set to join Aprilia.
Yamaha chiefs had developed a dream to unite former MotoGP title rivals Bagnaia and Jorge Martin in an all-star crew in the 2027 season, with Fabio Quartararo looking set to leave and Alex Rins out of contract. But Bagnaia is now closing in on a deal to replace Martin at Aprilia.
Bagnaia has rejected Yamaha’s greater salary offer to join Aprilia once his contract at Ducati expires after the 2026 campaign. The two-time champion has chosen to prioritise getting on a competitive bike for the start of the 2027 regulations era over securing a substantial wage.
It is also said that Bagnaia turned down a large pay cut to stay at Ducati and will instead join his friend Marco Bezzecchi at Aprilia in an all-Italian line-up in 2027. But a Ducati exile could still join Yamaha next year, as they have now opened talks with VR46 rider Di Giannantonio.
If you were Francesco Bagnaia, would you pick Aprilia’s bike or Yamaha’s money?
Yamaha have opened talks with Fabio Di Giannantonio after Francesco Bagnaia chose Aprilia
That is according to The Race, which reports that Ducati are likely to deem Di Giannantonio ‘surplus to requirements’ among their factory-contracted riders when his deal expires after the 2026 season. Ducati agreed to leave Di Giannantonio at VR46 after signing him in 2024.
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Ducati are expected to prioritise retaining Fermin Aldeguer, who has options through 2028 in his contract that saw him debut in MotoGP with Gresini in 2025. The Bologna Bullets are also giving serious thought to moving their World Superbikes rider Nicolo Bulega over to MotoGP.
So, with Di Giannantonio likely to be on the market, Yamaha have sought to open talks with a view to him being Rins’ replacement with Bagnaia now likely bound for Aprilia. Jack Miller is another rider Yamaha could consider, but promoting him from Pramac is not their priority.
Jack Miller is Yamaha’s second-choice alternative to Pecco Bagnaia (at best)
Miller has largely had a solid pre-season on the new V4 Yamaha M1 with Pramac during the pre-season tests in Sepang and Buriram. But the Australian will need to produce a very solid year for Yamaha to award him a new factory contract, let alone a move to their works team.
Yamaha handed Miller a second one-year contract to stay with their satellite team Pramac in 2026 last September. Yamaha opted to retain him instead of Miguel Oliveira after they lured Toprak Razgatlioglu from World Superbikes to ride for Pramac on a two-year works contract.
But while Miller was also the second-best Yamaha rider in the 2025 standings behind works figurehead Quartararo, he is the Iwata outfit’s second-choice alternative to Bagnaia at best. Martin is set to replace the Honda-bound Quartararo at Yamaha, leaving Rins’ bike to claim.
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