Ducati insists no 2027 MotoGP rider deals will be struck before team launch

Ducati MotoGP team manager Davide Tardozzi doubts any 2027 deals will be signed between the brand, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia before the team’s 2026 launch event.

The MotoGP rider market is set to be one of the most unpredictable in history, as almost all current deals expire at the end of this year, ahead of the 2027 regulations change.

Both of Ducati’s current factory duo, reigning world champion Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia, are on expiring deals.

While Marquez is expected to remain with Ducati, following his dominant 2025 campaign, there are question marks over Bagnaia’s future with the brand after a disappointing season.

Bagnaia has repeatedly said he views himself as a lifelong Ducati rider.

In a new interview with GPOne, Tardozzi says there have been talks between Ducati and both riders, but insists nothing will be signed until after the team launch on 19 January.

“I’d say it’s just talk for now,” he said.

“I don’t think decisions will be made that late, but it will still take time.

“Nothing will happen before the presentation because we’re focused on preparing the bikes and the event; it’s not the time to talk about certain things.

“I’d say we’ll do it after Madonna di Campiglio, or even later.”

Ducati confident a better Bagnaia will emerge in 2026

As well as negotiating a new contract, Pecco Bagnaia comes into 2026 looking to bounce back from his worst season with the factory Ducati squad.

The double world champion managed just two grands prix wins in a wildly inconsistent campaign, at the end of which he was a distant fifth in the standings.

Bagnaia struggled to find confidence from the front-end of the GP25, with tensions flaring between himself and Ducati as his struggles continued.

In the same GPOne interview, Tardozzi believes Bagnaia has worked through his 2025 struggles “in a positive way” and is confident he will be a better rider this season.

“I spoke to him [recently], and I’m convinced that Pecco has processed 2025 in a positive way, in the sense that you can come out stronger from problems.

“He is a very mentally strong person, so I don’t think we’ll find a 2025 version of Pecco, but more of a 2024 version.”