Marco Bezzecchi
Neil Hodgson suspects one aspect of Francesco Bagnaia’s move to Aprilia in 2027 may give him an “advantage” to beat Marc Marquez, after struggling as Ducati teammates.
Marquez walked into a Ducati team that had rallied around Bagnaia when the former moved to Borgo Panigale in 2025. But it did not take Marquez long to turn the tide and take over, as he stormed to the riders’ title whilst Bagnaia endlessly struggled to adapt to the tricky GP25.
Despite Marquez missing the final four rounds of 2025 due to injury, he also still finished the season with 257 more points than Bagnaia. Ultimately, Bagnaia slipping to fifth in last year’s standings also marked the start of the end for him in red, as Ducati moved for Pedro Acosta.
Bagnaia has enjoyed a revival of sorts in 2026, but it was not enough to avoid the news that had long been coming that Ducati have signed Acosta to partner Marquez from 2027. It was finally made official this week that Acosta will quit KTM for Ducati once his contract expires.
How many titles will Francesco Bagnaia win with Aprilia over the next four years?
Aprilia giving Francesco Bagnaia a four-year contract can help him beat Marc Marquez
Two-time MotoGP champion Bagnaia was officially on the market for just a day, however, as Aprilia announced his signing this Thursday. It was also confirmed that Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia through 2030, which Hodgson believes “works for everyone”.
READ MORE: The best moments of Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP career
Bagnaia securing a long-term deal to replace Jorge Martin at Aprilia from 2027 can also offer the Italian an “advantage” to beat Marquez that he has not had whilst teammates at Ducati. Aprilia have proven that they believe in Bagnaia, and that can release his full potential again.
Hodgson told TNT Sports 2 (27/06, 07:09): “His manager’s worked his socks off – he’s earned his 10%, or whatever percent he gets. I mean, to get a four-year deal works for everyone, it really does.
“If you’re Pecco, you’ve got that stability, that security. If you’re Aprilia, you know you’ve got a special rider in Pecco.
“And Pecco, in reality, couldn’t beat Marc as his teammate, he’s found it difficult. So, the only way he can really beat Marc Marquez if he goes head-to-head is, hopefully, if he has an advantage from his manufacturer. So, I feel like everyone wins in that deal.”
How would you handle being Marc Marquez’s teammate?
Bagnaia admits his four-year Aprilia contract is unusual, with MotoGP teams often favouring two-year deals to remain in the same market cycle as their rivals. But he wanted a long-term commitment from Aprilia, and thinks it also shows his belief in their 850cc project for 2027.
CEO Massimo Rivola believes Bagnaia rejected “higher salaries” to join Aprilia, too, and adds that he suspects the offers were from a Japanese rival in Yamaha or Honda. It is another sign of Bagnaia’s belief in Aprilia, which could further help him take the fight to Marquez in 2027.
When Bagnaia felt at ease at Ducati, he was their star rider and fought for the title each year from 2021 to 2024, including winning it in 2022 and 2023. He only lost out on the 2021 title to Fabio Quartararo by 26 points, and Jorge Martin edged Bagnaia in 2024 by just 10 points.
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