Official: Aprilia signs Pecco Bagnaia on four-year MotoGP contract
Pecco Bagnaia to form all-Italian Aprilia MotoGP line-up alongside Marco Bezzecchi for the 850cc era.
Pecco Bagnaia has been officially confirmed as joining Aprilia’s factory MotoGP team for the start of the 850cc era in 2027.
The Italian has signed a lengthy four-year contract to race an RS-GP, up to and including the 2030 season.
Bagnaia has spent his entire premier-class career at Ducati, first with Pramac and, since 2021, the official Lenovo team.
The Italian was crowned as Ducati's first MotoGP champion since Casey Stoner in 2022, repeating the feat in 2023.
But Bagnaia will now start a new chapter by partnering good friend and current world championship leader, Marco Bezzecchi, at Aprilia.
"..But first we will try to beat him!"
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said: “Michele Colaninno and I share the same vision of supporting Italy, which is why we both thought of Marco and Pecco together for the next chapter of Aprilia Racing.
"Bagnaia’s arrival is a confirmation of the value of Italian sport, which in recent months has distinguished itself on the world stage thanks to the achievements of Kimi Antonelli in Formula 1, Jannik Sinner in tennis, and Federica Brignone at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
"That is why welcoming Pecco fills us with pride and gives Italian sport a further boost internationally. We will give him and his family a warm welcome, but first we will try to beat him!
"Having a multiple World Champion is a responsibility we can’t wait to take on.”
Bagnaia replaces another former champion, Jorge Martin, who took the No.1 plate to Aprilia after beating the Italian to the 2024 crown with Pramac.
The Aprilia announcement follows Wednesday's confirmation from Ducati that Bagnaia will leave the team and be replaced by Pedro Acosta.
Bagnaia was overshadowed by new Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez last season, suffering his worst campaign as a factory rider after struggling with the GP25.
The Italian eventually slipped to fifth in the standings, despite four race wins.
With winter rumours suggesting KTM's Acosta had been chosen to partner Marc Marquez, Bagnaia’s options appeared to include staying at Ducati by moving to VR46 or switching to the factory Yamaha or Aprilia teams for the new 850cc/Pirelli era.
Bagnaia said his mind was made up by the final pre-season test in Buriram, although there was no official announcement until today due to the MSMA/MotoGP contract negotiations.
Either way, Bagnaia's decision has proven inspired.
Aprilia has usurped Ducati to lead the riders' world championship with Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, and also currently rules the teams' and manufacturers' standings.
Bagnaia starts this weekend's Assen round seventh in the world championship, taking his first victory of the season in last weekend's Brno Sprint.
With Bezzecchi having re-signed for Aprilia before the start of the season, Martin will make way for Bagnaia and is set to join Yamaha for 2027.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
