Marco Bezzecchi
Sylvain Guintoli has sent a stern warning to Aprilia over their ‘gamble’ with Francesco Bagnaia amid his career-worst form in MotoGP.
Ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season-opener in Thailand, reports emerged that Francesco Bagnaia will be riding for Aprilia in 2027 after signing a four-year deal with Noale to partner with Marco Bezzecchi in the premier class’s new era of technical regulations.
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The move was seen as a masterstroke upon the conclusion of the first few race weekends, given Aprilia’s emerging dominance that has since gripped MotoGP. Of course, new bikes will reset the grid next year, but their progress in recent months is very encouraging.
However, as the Italian rider’s results continue to disappoint, it raises the question of whether the Venetian outfit has made a mistake by putting their faith in Bagnaia to continue their fine form in the premier class next year.
Sylvain Guintoli warns Aprilia of their Francesco Bagnaia ‘gamble’ amid his worst-ever MotoGP form
During TNT Sports’ coverage of FP1 at the French Grand Prix, MotoGP pundit Sylvain Guintoli revealed some stats regarding Bagnaia’s recent form in the premier class in relation to his move to Aprilia that is expected to take place ahead of the 2027 campaign.
“He’s a bit of a gamble, isn’t he?” Guintoli told his colleagues in reference to #63. “I mean for Aprilia. I’ve got some stats here, and we know the form is not great, but Francesco Bagnaia has failed to score points in 12 of his last 18 race starts, including the sprints.
“He’s only scored points in six of his last 18, and he’s scored very little points in the last 15 GP weekends, as well. 125 points from a possible 555. That’s his worst run, basically, since he was a rookie in Moto3 in 2013.”
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Guintoli then added some further stats from the overall results of Ducati’s factory efforts in MotoGP, highlighting how they haven’t won a Grand Prix since Bagnaia’s feat at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, nine rounds ago.
That race weekend also happened to be the most recent round in which Bagnaia looked more like the two-time world champion that we had become accustomed to seeing during his first years at Borgo Panigale.
He took a hat-trick of pole position, Sprint race win, and Grand Prix victory that weekend, and has only seen the chequered flag in a Sunday race twice since, with his best result being a P9 at the 2026 season-opener in Thailand.
- READ MORE: Carlos Checa feels Aprilia can have a ‘super team’ if Pecco Bagnaia rediscovers what he’s ‘lacking’
Michael Laverty thinks Aprilia have got a ‘match made in heaven’ lined up for 2026
Guintoli’s commentary colleague at TNT Sports, Michael Laverty, began the discussion by voicing his thoughts on Bagnaia’s 2027 switch, highlighting that he could form a ‘match made in heaven’ alongside Bezzecchi at Noale.
The two riders share a close relationship, having both come through Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Riders’ Academy during the early stages of their Grand Prix motorcycle racing careers.
The former MotoGP rider said, “When he looks at his mate, Bezzecchi, and sees him on rails whenever he gets dialled in on a race weekend, he’s thinking, ‘I want a piece of that’.
“It could be a match made in heaven; two Italian riders at an Italian brand, they get on, they’ve been part of the VR46 Academy for so long, and maybe Aprilia is what he needs.”
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