Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia has reportedly signed his Aprilia contract, which means he has officially rejected a 2027 Yamaha seat.
Yamaha wanted Bagnaia after losing Fabio Quartararo to Japanese rivals Honda, but the two-time MotoGP champion has elected to take the Aprilia seat vacated by Jorge Martin instead.
Martin will now be fashioned as the A-list Quartararo replacement, but it’s unclear who will fill the second seat. Toprak Razgatlioglu is expected to stay at Pramac for a second year, Jack Miller hasn’t done enough to merit a promotion and Alex Rins’ time is likely to be up at the end of 2026.
FOUR YEARS?! 😲 Has Pecco Bagnaia made the right decision for 2027?
Francesco Bagnaia’s Aprilia switch is another blow to Yamaha
It’s already been reported that Bagnaia turned down a substantially larger contract offer from Yamaha to sign for Aprilia. Meanwhile, Martin is expected to triple or even quadruple his salary by signing for Paolo Pavesio’s squad.
But this underlines a brutal reality: all Yamaha have to offer right now is a chequebook. It was enough to tempt Martin, but Bagnaia sees Aprilia, a far smaller operation, as a better bet for the 2027 rules cycle.
Years of struggle have clearly caused significant damage to Yamaha’s stock in the rider market. The switch to a V4 engine is intended to launch a new era, but it has been one PR own goal after another up to this point.
- READ MORE: Marco Melandri says Yamaha’s funding will be ‘cut off’ if they mess up another MotoGP season
The team who have won 16 riders’ championships with legendary figures like Giacomo Agostini, Kenny Roberts and, of course, Valentino Rossi have now lost their franchise rider and been snubbed by a target of a similar stature.
It wouldn’t be a surprise, given Aprilia’s start to the season and his own personal rebirth, if Martin comes to regret his decision before long, either.
Yamaha are in advanced talks to sign Fabio Di Giannantonio, who seems to have emerged as the top plan-b. But like many of the other riders linked with the seat next to Martin, the reality is that they aren’t likely to face any real competition.
Pecco Bagnaia denies MotoGP fans a mouthwatering partnership
Had Bagnaia accepted Yamaha’s offer, he would have shared a garage with Martin, his title rival in 2023 and 2024, for the first time. The climax of Saturday’s United States GP Sprint was a reminder of how spectacular their on-track battles can be.
Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta will form the most exciting partnership on next year’s grid – that much is guaranteed. But Bagnaia vs Martin would have been an almighty subplot.
For Yamaha, the 2027 rule changes look like an opportunity to break out of their prolonged slump, but clearly, riders don’t see it that way. Their sleeping giant status is growing weaker all the time, with little confidence that they can return to the top in the near future.
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