Francesco Bagnaia has stated that he first considered the possibility of leaving Ducati during the 2025 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix. Ahead of this weekend's Dutch GP in Assen, it has been officially announced that Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia; the Italian rider will form a fully Italian lineup alongside 2023 VR46 graduate Marco Bezzecchi.
Motegi was a turning point.
Bagnaia stated that his mindset began to change from the race weekend in Motegi last September. “Last year wasn’t an easy season, I struggled a lot, and after Japan things started to change,” he said. “At that moment I said, ‘Okay, maybe it’s time to consider other options,’ and I opened my mind. I’ve always had great support from Aprilia, and I think this was the right moment. I had many options in front of me, but I believe in a long-term contract.”
Motegi proved to be one of the critical weeks of the 2025 MotoGP season. Bagnaia displayed his clearest competitive advantage of the year that weekend, securing pole position and winning both the sprint and main races. However, these successes were overshadowed by his teammate Marc Marquez winning his seventh World Championship title that same week. When asked what exactly had changed at Motegi, Bagnaia responded, “There’s a time and place for sharing that kind of information, but now isn’t the right time.”.
A farewell letter to Ducati.
Following the announcement of the Aprilia deal on Thursday, Bagnaia also published an emotional letter to Ducati on social media. “After eight years, I felt it was necessary to say a more meaningful farewell,” he explained. “We will finish the season with them, but I didn’t want to just say ‘goodbye Ducati’; this is more than a simple post. I experienced the best moments of my career with them.”
During the winter transfer window, Bagnaia was a primary target for Yamaha, who were looking to fill the seat vacated by Fabio Quartararo, who transferred to Honda; however, the rider ultimately opted for Aprilia. This November's Valencia GP will be Bagnaia's last race with Ducati. The Italian is leaving with the title of the most successful rider in Ducati's history.