Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia’s Ducati exit is imminent, and he is set to bring a key figure from his garage with him.
It has been reported that the two-time MotoGP champion is off to Aprilia from 2027 onwards. With Pedro Acosta set to join Ducati alongside Marc Marquez, Bagnaia is forced to find a new manufacturer.
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Bagnaia turned down a pay cut from Ducati to head over to their Italian rivals. He is set to partner with compatriot and fellow VR46 academy graduate, Marco Bezzecchi.
The 29-year-old was heavily linked with Yamaha for 2027, and even for 2026, as his struggles in 2025 led to doubts about his immediate future with Ducati. Now, his departure is pending confirmation, and he is taking his crew chief with him.
Cristian Gabarrini will join Francesco Bagnaia at Aprilia in 2027
Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia from next year. It has now emerged, via a report from AS, that he has a 2+2 arrangement.
The deal is ‘rarely seen’ in MotoGP today, with Bagnaia tied down to Aprilia until at least 2028, with the option of another two years. Marquez was the last rider to sign a four-year deal, and he did not see it out, leaving Honda before the final year in 2024.
Bagnaia is the latest to sign such a contract, and that is not the only development. The Italian is also set to take his crew chief, Cristian Gabarrini, with him to Aprilia.
Gabarrini has followed the two-time champion’s career since he made his debut with Pramac in 2019. He has worked closely with Bagnaia throughout his tenure with Ducati, overseeing his two titles.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Casey Stoner believed former crew chief Cristian Gabarrini would help Pecco Bagnaia turn things around in 2025
This will not be the first time that Gabarrini has left Ducati. He worked with Casey Stoner during his title-winning 2007 season, before moving to Honda with him.
He later returned to Ducati and worked with Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo before partnering with Bagnaia. Gabarrini endured a difficult season with the Italian in 2025 as he could not find the right balance with the GP25.
Stoner holds Gabarrini in high regard, singling him out as a key person to help Bagnaia. He said last year, via Crash: “It’s really difficult to know exactly where the issues are.
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“But at the same time, it’s not the first moment that we’ve seen Pecco do this and struggle maybe in the first part of a season and find his form and find what he needs. He’s quite deliberate with everything he does.
“So, when you’ve got somebody like Marc in as your team-mate, in reality it’s going to help you for the future because – as much as this is a difficult season for him – you always learn the most in your worst years and your worst moments.
“I think towards the end of this season, or maybe even for next year, whatever he learns from this year can make him a heck of a lot stronger and maybe a much bigger challenge in the future.
“We’ll wait and see. Pecco and Cristian normally work very, very well and they’ll find the reasons and try and find what they are looking for. And if he gets that feeling back, things can turnaround quickly.”
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