Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati chief Luigi Dall’Igna has all but confirmed Francesco Bagnaia’s exit from the Italian constructor through a cryptic statement in which the engineer hinted at having to make ‘professional’ rather than ‘personal’ decisions.
The 2027 MotoGP rider market has been in full swing before the first crop of bikes even touched the tarmac this year, with a multitude of rider transfers being the worst-kept secret inside the premier class paddock.
With Pedro Acosta likely to be partnering Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati team next year, it emerged that Francesco Bagnaia may be swapping Bologna for Noale. Reports have suggested the two-time world champion has signed a four-year deal with the factory Aprilia outfit.
Is this Luigi Dall’Igna’s biggest hint yet that Francesco Bagnaia will be departing Ducati at the end of 2026?
The reason for the lack of confirmation stems from teams and manufacturers withholding confirmation until an agreement is reached regarding negotiations over a new Concorde Agreement.
However, Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna’s latest comments about the #63 have all but confirmed his exit from the team.
Ducati chief all but confirms Francesco Bagnaia’s exit
During a sponsor event in Milan, Dall’Igna gave his thoughts on several past and present MotoGP riders, including Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo, Pedro Acosta, and finally, Bagnaia.
In his words about the current factory Ducati rider, the 59-year-old began by noting a highlight of Bagnaia’s that he holds in a very high regard.
“With Pecco, I shared the greatest moment of my MotoGP career: winning the 2022 World Championship,” Dall’Igna told those in attendance, via La Gazzetta dello Sport.
How is Francesco Bagnaia’s downturn affecting his MotoGP legacy?
“It was a moment of incredible joy that still moves me to this day, and for which I thank him. It was fantastic.”
Dall’Igna then dropped what may be the biggest hint yet that Bagnaia won’t be racing for the Bologna Bullets in MotoGP’s new era of regulations next year.
“But then again… in life, a manager has to make professional decisions that he wouldn’t make on a personal level,” he continued.
“Unfortunately, we are managers: the rider must be respected because he is a person, but there are 200 other people working alongside me and I am responsible for all 200 of them.
“So when decisions are made, they must be made for the good of everyone, and these decisions are not always welcome. I have to think of the good of the 200 people rather than the good of the individual, and sometimes the two things are at odds with each other.”
Luigi Dall’Igna also highlighted Pedro Acosta as one of Ducati’s ‘most important’ rivals
During his comments on Acosta, who is widely expected to be filling Bagnaia’s vacant seat at the factory outfit next year, Dall’Igna outlined how the young Spaniard has had champion-like potential since he was a youngster.
While he didn’t hint at the 21-year-old’s potential move to Borgo Panigale last year, he did say, “He’s a rival… He’s one of the most important rivals we have right now.
“You see champions as kids, that’s when they stir emotions, and Pedro is someone who already excited a lot of people when he was in Moto3. And I have to say that he’s doing wonderful things even now.”
Interestingly, Acosta himself hinted at a prospective move to Ducati by recently mentioning a potential future partnership with Marc Marquez.
The current KTM star has previously outlined that sharing a garage with the seven-time world champion would be a ‘dream come true’.
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