Ducati forced to break Fermin Aldeguer’s 2027 contract after ‘budget cuts’

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Fermin Aldeguer will no longer be contracted directly to Ducati next year as a result of cost-cutting measures, according to a report.

Ducati owners Volkswagen are facing a financial crisis, which has even led to suggestions that the Bologna brand could be sold.

The more immediate impact is that, according to Motorpasion Moto, Aldeguer has lost his factory deal for 2027, even if he keeps his place on the grid.

VR46 will now have to pay Fermin Aldeguer’s wages

While the move hasn’t been confirmed, it has been known since March that Aldeguer will move to VR46.

But now, Valentino Rossi’s squad will be expected to cover his whole salary. Ducati have informed their satellite teams that only Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta will remain on factory contracts.

What is Fermin Aldeguer’s ceiling in MotoGP? 🤔

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At this stage, it’s unclear what this means for Aldeguer’s MotoGP future. While he was overlooked for a 2027 factory seat in favour of Murcian rival Acosta, he appeared well positioned to succeed Marquez when the Spaniard retired or moved on.

In theory, Aldeguer could stay informally attached to Ducati. After all, he has not lost his factory backing for performance reasons, so he should still be in favour.

It could even be argued that this will help Aldeguer, even if it likely means a pay cut. It will give him greater flexibility should he wish to leave the Ducati stable for a factory ride elsewhere.

Riders like Ai Ogura, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Aldeguer’s teammate Alex Marquez are joining official teams next year, and now the 2025 Rookie of the Year, previously protected by his contract, is likely to be in demand.

Aldeguer will miss this weekend’s German GP through injury after crashing in practice at Assen. He was previously ruled out of the season opener in Thailand due to a broken femur.

Riding a year-old Ducati GP25, he sits 10th in the standings with 76 points. His only podium so far this season came at the Catalan GP, when he finished second.