Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia knows it may seem strange that he has signed a four-year contract to join Aprilia in 2027, but he sought to get a long-term deal to start a new challenge.
The news that the MotoGP paddock had come to expect for the past few months was finally made official this Thursday, as Aprilia announced that Bagnaia will replace Jorge Martin next year. Yet it was the length of Bagnaia’s contract with the Noale squad that sprung a surprise.
It had widely been known since February that Bagnaia will be joining Aprilia next year, after Ducati signed Pedro Acosta ahead of his contract with KTM expiring at the end of 2026. The Bologna Bullets nor Aprilia would announce their deals at the time, as they were still locked in talks with MotoGP about a new commercial agreement that was finally ratified last week.
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MotoGP’s new commercial contract for the 2027-2031 period has opened the floodgates for the rider market, with Ducati confirming Acosta’s move on Wednesday and Aprilia revealing Bagnaia’s transfer on Thursday. Martin’s move to Yamaha for 2027 has yet to be announced.
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Most of the teams moved very early in 2026 to lock in their 2027 rider line-ups, with claims first emerging in February that Bagnaia and Aprilia had agreed a four-year contract. But the idea at the time was that it would be an initial two-year deal carrying options through 2030.
Aprilia, however, sprung a surprise by announcing Bagnaia’s move from Ducati for 2027 as a straight four-year contract. Bagnaia admits that it may seem strange, but he wanted a long-term contract to join Aprilia as he is committed to having a fresh start after his years in red.
Bagnaia told Sky Sports Italy: “I’m very satisfied and happy with how everything has gone, and what’s to come. In the end, I’ve given it my all and there’s still work to be done because there are 13 races left, but I really wanted this new challenge.
“I really wanted this long-term contract. Four years may seem like a long time in sporting terms, but I believe in it wholeheartedly, and the support they’ve shown me has been fantastic. So, I’m very excited.
“But as I said, we need to finish this season. There are 13 races left and, above all, we’re moving in the right direction. I’m working hard and improving a lot.
“Let’s say that in the last four or five Grands Prix, we’ve always been in a pack. We’ve consistently improved, and we need to build on what we’ve done this winter to take another step forward, which is what we’re currently lacking a bit, but I’m very happy.”
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Bagnaia had previously dreamed about retiring as a Ducati rider, having first joined their fold in 2019 when the Bologna Bullets placed him at Pramac for his MotoGP debut. The native of Turin then graduated to Ducati’s works team in 2021, and he won the title in 2022 and 2023.
Ducati lost faith in Bagnaia at the end of 2025, though, after he fell to P5 in the standings on the back of four consecutive title fights. Having a chance to sign a rising star like Acosta was also too good for Ducati to refuse, and Bagnaia will now look to start fresh at Aprilia in 2027.
For now, Bagnaia and Ducati will continue their farewell tour at the TT Circuit Assen for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. And given that Bagnaia and Ducati both knew where they have stood for a “very long time”, the 29-year-old does not expect anything will change this term.
Bagnaia added: “Within the team, we’ve known about this for a while – for a very long time, in fact. So, honestly, nothing’s changed. What has changed is that I am very happy about what’s to come.”
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