Francesco Bagnaia signals factory-team priority as MotoGP future questions linger

Bagnaia still has hunger to ride for a factory team as he all but rules out racing for a satellite squad like VR46

Francesco Bagnaia has strongly suggested that a satellite Ducati seat holds little appeal to him, as speculation continues over where he could head in MotoGP next year.

Bagnaia’s contract with Ducati expires at the end of the current season, and it is widely believed that he may not be retained by the factory squad for MotoGP’s new rule cycle.

However, the Italian remains the most successful rider for Ducati in the premier class and there remains a possibility that the Borgo Panigale marque could accommodate him elsewhere within its MotoGP line-up.

One potential avenue could be VR46, run by Bagnaia’s mentor and MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi. The Italian squad is set to enter 2027 with an entirely new line-up, potentially opening the door for the double MotoGP champion.

The introduction of new technical regulations in 2027, headlined by the arrival of 850cc engines, also means that there will be no disparity in machinery between riders of the same manufacturer, with all starting the season on the same-spec bike.

However, when asked if he would be willing to accept a seat at a satellite team to stay within Ducati’s roster, given his long and successful association with the manufacturer, Bagnaia stressed that his ambitions remain much higher in MotoGP.

“I believe I am a front-runner rider, so my ambitions must always lead me to stay at the forefront,” he said.

“There are many opportunities, and the good work I have done in recent years certainly helps at this moment, but without pressure and without haste, I will make the decision that I think is right.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Mohd Rasfan - AFP - Getty Images

The MotoGP grid is set for a major reshuffle next year, with Bagnaia’s team-mate Marc Marquez the only high-profile rider not expected to change teams.

Apart from Pedro Acosta’s mooted move to Ducati, 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo is tipped to join Honda next year, with Aprilia’s Jorge Martin expected to take Quartararo’s seat at Yamaha. Meanwhile, last year’s runner-up Alex Marquez is believed to be considering a move to KTM.

These changes could still leave room for Bagnaia to land a factory seat for 2027, although his next career move remains unclear at the moment.

Speaking in an interview with MotoGP, the 29-year-old said he has some “great opportunities” for 2027, but stopped short of revealing his options.

“We are more or less in the same boat [as Alex Marquez],” he said. “In the table in front of me, I have great opportunities and I will decide very soon.”

During his media scrum, he added: “Still speaking, it's clear that a season like last year can put you on the wrong side, but still speaking, I have many opportunities and we just need to decide."

Bagnaia endured a disastrous 2025 season as he struggled to adapt to the GP25 all year, even as he won two grands prix and the same number of sprint races.

This wouldn’t have affected his long-term prospects in normal circumstances, but due to the onset of new regulations in 2027, the rider market is moving at unprecedented speeds, and the factory teams are keen to lock in their riders in the first quarter of the year.

Asked if he was frustrated that he won’t have a chance to prove that his 2025 campaign was an anomaly before his future is decided, Bagnaia said: “It is what it is. We are living in a world that is always super fast, so you need to be quick. Jorge Lorenzo said a correct thing, that you are remembered from the last races that you do.

“It's normal that it's like this, it's correct that it's like this. Surely, in the last three, four years the contracts are decided much before, much sooner.

“But it's like this, and honestly I think it's correct.”