Ducati extends Bagnaia MotoGP contract
Ducati Corse have signed a new deal with Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia that will keep the 25-year-old Italian with the factory Ducati MotoGP team until the end of 2024.
After winning the 2018 Moto2 World Championship, Bagnaia made his MotoGP debut with Pramac Racing Team in 2019 and achieved a podium for the Ducati satellite squad in 2020 before moving up to the factory Ducati Lenovo Team last year on a two-year contract.
The extension of Bagnaia’s original 2021-22 deal with Ducati Corse was predicted weeks before it was officially announced on 21 February and comes as a result of the Italian’s strong finish to the 2021 MotoGP season, when he won four of the last six races to claim runner-up in the championship behind Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.
"Being a Ducati rider in MotoGP has always been my dream and knowing that I can continue with the Ducati Lenovo Team for another two seasons makes me happy and proud," Bagnaia said.
"I have found a serene environment in the factory team: I feel very much in tune with my team and know that we can do great things together. Now I can only concentrate on doing well in this Championship.
“A big thank you to all the Ducati Corse staff. I'll try to repay their trust with my results on the track!"
Ducati Corse obviously sees a future in Bagnaia, with General Manager Luigi ‘Gigi’ Dall’Igna going so far as to say he could win the world championship. If he does so, Bagnaia will become only the second rider, after Casey Stoner in 2007, to take the MotoGP title on a Ducati.
"We are delighted to have Bagnaia with us for another two seasons. Since he arrived at Ducati in 2019, Pecco has shown great talent and the ability to interpret our Desmosedici GP very well, adapting to ride it in any condition,” Dall’Igna said.
At time of writing, Bagania joins Marc Marquez (Honda), Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha) and Brad Binder (KTM) as the only riders with a confirmed spot on the MotoGP grid beyond 2022. All other rider contracts are up for renewal at the end of this year. That includes Jack Miller, who despite winning two races last season, has yet to be re-signed and will be under pressure to retain his spot in the factory team against challengers that include Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini, with Joan Mir and even Quartararo rumoured to be under consideration.