Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati’s confirmation that Francesco Bagnaia would be making way for Pedro Acosta in the 2027 MotoGP season has proved that Casey Stoner was right all along about the Italian constructor.
Despite the move being one of the worst-kept secrets inside the MotoGP paddock, Ducati’s announcement that Francesco Bagnaia would be departing their stable at the end of 2026 still served as quite the shock for fans.
How would you handle being Marc Marquez’s teammate?
The Italian has spent the entirety of his MotoGP career atop Ducati machinery, but will swap Borgo Panigale for Noale next year as he joins fellow VR46 Academy rider Marco Bezzecchi at the factory Aprilia team.
The move comes after 31 Grand Prix victories, 68 podium finishes, and 38 pole positions for Bagnaia in red. He also claimed two world titles for the brand, ending a 15-year championship drought in 2022 after Casey Stoner’s legendary 2007 feat.
The Australian broke Ducati’s duck that year by winning their first-ever championship in the premier class, and knows the team very well. In fact, so well that he had predicted that the bosses in Borgo Panigale would replace Bagnaia last year.
- READ MORE: Neil Hodgson warns Ducati about the ’treasure trove’ Francesco Bagnaia will take with him to Aprilia
Casey Stoner predicted Ducati would replace Francesco Bagnaia at the height of his struggles
It’s no secret that the 2025 MotoGP campaign was Bagnaia’s toughest season in the premier class yet. Despite claiming a couple of victories and a handful more podiums, he simply failed to gel with his Ducati prototype as Marc Marquez unleashed total domination.
Who will regret this split more, Francesco Bagnaia or Ducati?
During an interview with a Spanish outlet last August, Stoner warned Bagnaia that Ducati would not hesitate to “kick you out” after having “a bad moment”. He went on to highlight how important it was for Ducati to stand by its rider rather than make a hasty move.
A similar thing happened to Stoner while he was racing in the famous red overalls. During the 2009 season, the three-time world champion missed three rounds due to illness, and was furious upon hearing that Ducati were seeking a permanent replacement for him.
“Pecco had given them their only championships until this past year, and then he fought for the last one with [Jorge] Martin until the end,” he added. “If they are willing to get rid of him, it would be clear what kind of people they are.
“For me, it wouldn’t be right. What happened to me was that when I was out for a few races due to problems, they looked for a replacement for me without telling me anything, and that’s not right. Pecco deserves respect.”
His words ring eerily true today, and following his words, Stoner even made a rare appearance inside the San Marino Grand Prix paddock last year to see if he could offer any advice to Bagnaia regarding his struggles at the time.
The Italian went on to record a perfect weekend at the following round of racing in Motegi, which Bagnaia recently revealed as the moment he knew he had to leave the team.
#63 is currently on a four-Grand Prix streak of securing a podium – his best run of form since he closed out 2024 with six consecutive top-three finishes, including two wins. It remains to be seen whether Ducati will end up ruing their split with the Italian.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
