MotoGP: Francesco Bagnaia to Continue with Ducati Until 2026, Signs Multi-year Extension Deal

The current two-time MotoGP world champion, Francesco Bagnaia, has officially extended his partnership with Ducati by signing a new two-year contract that keeps him committed until the end of 2026. Bagnaia joined the Ducati team after his first MotoGP race in 2019 with Pramac Racing. In 2021, he was promoted to the factory squad.

The 2021 season was an amazing year for Bagnaia. He stopped Ducati's 15-year championship drought and then won a second title the next year by beating Ducati rival Jorge Martin in the season finale at Valencia. While it took a little longer than expected to announce the contract extension, General Manager Gigi Dall'Igna's projections came true on Monday afternoon, just in time for the 2024 season to start this weekend in Qatar.

This announcement makes it official that the 27-year-old double MotoGP winner will stay with Ducati for the foreseeable future. He will be a part of the company's structure until the end of the 2026 season.

Francesco Bagnaia said: "I am so happy to continue racing with the team of my dreams! 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. I am overjoyed and ready to hit the track in Qatar for the first race of the year."

Ducati Corse General Manager Luigi Dall'Igna said: "We are extremely happy to have Bagnaia with us again for 2025 and 2026. Together, we have written an important page of motorcycling history: Pecco was the first Italian rider to win a World Title in MotoGP with an Italian bike, our Desmosedici GP. Together, we brought back a Riders' World Title that had been missing for 15 years, and we did it again last year. He is a two-time World Champion and has proven on more than one occasion that he truly deserves the number 1 on the fairing of his bike. In addition to these results, Bagnaia continues to demonstrate that he is in perfect harmony with his bike and team. For all these reasons, it was natural for us to want to continue with him. Therefore, we look forward to this new chapter together, confident that we can achieve other important results."

MotoGP: Bagnaia and Ducati

Francesco Bagnaia, who is originally from Turin but now calls Pesaro home, joined Ducati in 2019 through Pramac Racing. He joined Jack Miller on the factory Ducati squad in 2021. Starting the season on a positive note, Bagnaia beat out teammate Miller and factory Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales to take pole position in Losail. His first MotoGP win came in Aragon, where he had a thrilling battle with Marc Marquez; the following week, he won again in Misano.

The Italian rider had a rough start to the 2022 season due to an accident at the Sachsenring that put him 91 points behind the leader in the championship. Nevertheless, Bagnaia defied all odds and won his maiden premier class championship in Valencia thanks to an incredible comeback in the second half of the season. In 2023, Bagnaia was challenged for the coveted number-one position and became the first rider since Mick Doohan to defend the Rider Championship. He joins the ranks of MotoGP greats Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez as the only riders to win successive championships with this feat.

Having just had his contract extended, Bagnaia becomes the second rider in Borgo Panigale manufacturer MotoGP's eight-year existence, further solidifying his place in the company's storied past.