Francesco Bagnaia is closing in on a move away from Ducati, and it looks like he’ll be taking an important member of his team along for the ride.
The two-time MotoGP champion has been linked with a switch to Aprilia starting in 2027. With Pedro Acosta set to join Marc Marquez at Ducati, Bagnaia needs to find a new home.
After rejecting a reduced offer from Ducati, Bagnaia decided to make the jump. Over there, he’s expected to line up alongside Marco Bezzecchi, another graduate of the VR46 academy.
While Yamaha was also in the frame for 2027 – and even for next year – his struggles this season had already cast doubt over his future with Ducati. Now that the decision looks imminent, and he won’t be leaving alone.
Bagnaia has agreed a four-year deal with Aprilia, starting next year. According to AS, it’s a 2+2 structure, meaning he’s committed until 2028, with an option for another two years.
Long-term contracts like this are uncommon in modern MotoGP. Marquez was the last to sign a four-year deal but left Honda before completing it in 2024.
Bagnaia’s deal is not the only significant move. He’ll also be bringing his crew chief, Cristian Gabarrini, over to Aprilia.
Gabarrini has been with Bagnaia since his Pramac debut in 2019 and has played a key role during his Ducati tenure, overseeing both of his title wins.
Cristian Gabarrini is expected to help Francesco Bagnaia regain his form at Aprilia
This won’t be the first time Gabarrini has left Ducati. He was alongside Casey Stoner during his title-winning 2007 season before making the move to Honda with him.
He later returned to Ducati, where he worked with Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo before linking up with Bagnaia. The 2025 season wasn’t easy for them, as they struggled to get the GP25 working well.
Stoner holds Gabarrini in high regard, singling him out as a key person to help Bagnaia. He said last year, via Crash: “It’s really difficult to know exactly where the issues are.
“But at the same time, it’s not the first moment that we’ve seen Pecco do this and struggle maybe in the first part of a season and find his form and find what he needs. He’s quite deliberate with everything he does.
“So, when you’ve got somebody like Marc in as your team-mate, in reality it’s going to help you for the future because – as much as this is a difficult season for him – you always learn the most in your worst years and your worst moments.
“I think towards the end of this season, or maybe even for next year, whatever he learns from this year can make him a heck of a lot stronger and maybe a much bigger challenge in the future.
“We’ll wait and see. Pecco and Cristian normally work very, very well and they’ll find the reasons and try and find what they are looking for. And if he gets that feeling back, things can turnaround quickly.”
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