Bagania extends contract with Ducati

On the eve of this year’s MotoGP season, Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia and Ducati Corse announced a contract renewal for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Like most of this year’s MotoGP grid, Bagnaia’s current contract was due to expire at the end of the 2024 season, but the new deal will keep the 27-year-old from Turin on a Ducati Desmosedici GP bike for a further two years.

Importantly, the new contract is only with Ducati Corse, not the Ducati Lenovo Team for whom Bagnaia has ridden since 2021. That means that, in the unlikely scenario that his performance drops off in this season or next, Bagnaia could be shifted out of the factory team to one of the satellite Ducati outfits, like Pramac Racing or Gresini Racing.

Bagnaia made his MotoGP debut with Pramac in 2019 and spent two seasons with that team, achieving one podium (at Misano in 2020). The move to Ducati Lenovo Team in 2021 saw Bagnaia take his first MotoGP race wins, all of which came at the back end of that season. In 2022, Bagnaia’s championship-winning run in the second half of the season saw the Italian win five of the last ten races. He backed that up in 2023 to become Ducati’s only dual champion.

"I am so happy to continue racing with the team of my dreams!” Bagnaia said. “Wearing these colours is an honour for me. It's fantastic and a source of pride. Together with Ducati, my team, and all the guys at Ducati Corse, we've achieved incredible things.

“In these three more years (including 2024) ahead of us, we'll continue to give our best to achieve as much success as possible."

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, described Bagnaia as the perfect rider for Ducati, representing the brand’s values both on track and off, while Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager, said he was extremely happy with the new two-year deal, adding that it was natural to want to retain Bagnaia, given the success he’s delivered for Ducati so far.  

When this new contract expires, Bagnaia will have spent eight years with Ducati, becoming only the second rider to do so after Andrea Dovizioso.