Ducati sign Acosta as Bagnaia to leave at end of 2026 season
MotoGP – German Grand Prix – Sachsenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany – July 12, 2025 Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia during practice REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
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June 24 : Ducati have signed Pedro Acosta for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, the Italian manufacturer said on Wednesday, hours after confirming that two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia will leave the team at the end of 2026.
The 22-year-old Spaniard will form a headline partnership with seven-time world champion Marc Marquez, whose contract was extended until 2028 earlier this week.
Bagnaia’s departure will bring down the curtain on an eight-year stint with the team, during which he delivered their first riders’ title in 15 years in 2022 and became their most successful rider with 31 victories, 62 podiums and 28 pole positions.
Acosta, regarded as one of the sport’s brightest talents, won Moto3 and Moto2 world titles within three years of his championship debut.
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He impressed in MotoGP as well, claiming Rookie of the Year honours in 2024 and finishing fourth overall in 2025 with KTM, with 13 podiums. He currently sits sixth in the standings this season, 48 points behind championship leader Marco Bezzecchi.
BAGNAIA’S DEPARTURE
Known as “Pecco”, Bagnaia’s final appearance for the team will be at the Valencia Grand Prix, scheduled from November 27 to 29.
“We’ve grown together, we’ve weathered every kind of situation together without ever giving up and we’ve always spurred each other on to give our all,” Bagnaia said in a post on Instagram.
“I feel the need to start afresh with a new challenge, but I’ll never forget what we’ve been. You’re part of me, and you always will be.”
Bagnaia, who joined Ducati as a rookie in 2019, has faced a challenging period over the past 18 months, where he has been overshadowed by Marquez since the Spaniard joined the factory team in 2025.
Marquez dominated last season en route to securing a seventh title, while Bagnaia finished fifth, trailing his teammate by 257 points, after previously being Ducati’s leading rider.
“Sporting results tell only part of Pecco’s value: his clean and elegant riding style (I like to call him ‘Il Pinturicchio’ — the little painter) together with his great fairness on track — combined with remarkable determination when overtaking — made Ducatisti fall in love with him,” Ducati Motor Holding CEO Claudio Domenicali said in a statement.
“On top of that, he is a great professional and a great person away from racing.”
Bagnaia will arrive at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after claiming his first win of the season in the Czech Grand Prix sprint last week. He was unable to secure a double, however, as he was overtaken late in Sunday’s race by Marquez and pole-sitter Ai Ogura, eventually finishing third after leading for several laps.
He heads into the next round trailing championship leader Marco Bezzecchi by 53 points.
Source: Reuters
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