Two-time MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia, the Italian manufacturer announced on Thursday, a day after Ducati confirmed he would leave the team at the end of the 2026 season.
Bagnaia will join Aprilia from the start of the 2027 MotoGP campaign, forming an all-Italian rider lineup alongside Marco Bezzecchi as the Noale-based team seeks to challenge for championships in the coming years.
The announcement comes after Ducati revealed that KTM rider Pedro Acosta will replace Bagnaia in the factory team from next season.
“Bagnaia’s arrival is a confirmation of the value of Italian sport, which in recent months has distinguished itself on the world stage thanks to the achievements of Kimi Antonelli in Formula One, Jannik Sinner in tennis, and Federica Brignone at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said.
“Having a multiple world champion is a responsibility we can’t wait to take on.”
Bagnaia will make his final appearance for Ducati at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix in November, bringing the curtain down on an eight-year association with the Bologna-based manufacturer.
After joining Ducati as a rookie in 2019, the 29-year-old established himself as the most successful rider in the team’s history. He delivered Ducati’s first riders’ championship in 15 years in 2022 and successfully defended the title the following season.
During his time with Ducati, Bagnaia amassed 31 race victories, 62 podium finishes and 28 pole positions, helping cement the manufacturer’s position as a dominant force in MotoGP.
However, his fortunes have faded over the past 18 months as he struggled to match the pace of teammate Marc Marquez following the Spaniard’s arrival at the factory team in 2025.
Marquez dominated the most recent championship to secure his seventh premier-class world title, while Bagnaia finished fifth in the standings, 257 points behind his teammate.
The move to Aprilia offers Bagnaia a fresh challenge and an opportunity to lead another Italian manufacturer’s title ambitions as MotoGP prepares for a new era beginning in 2027.
