Market Backstory: Bagnaia Rejected a 'Monster' Offer

Pecco Bagnaia will race with Aprilia for the next four MotoGP seasons. After months of rumors, the announcement arrived on the eve of the Assen Grand Prix, simultaneously with the announcements of Marquez and Acosta in the Ducati factory team. The Piedmontese rider leaves the Desmosedici after eight years to join the Noale manufacturer, ushering in the new era of 850cc engines and Pirelli tires aboard the RS-GP.

Bagnaia’s signing with Aprilia had been an open secret for months; only the official announcement was missing. The truly interesting backstory is his rejection of Yamaha’s offer, a brand so dear to his mentor Valentino Rossi. The Japanese manufacturer wanted a fast, experienced rider to fine-tune the bike and was willing to spare no expense. The men from Iwata had offered him a full 10 million per season to jump on the M1 and try to find light at the end of the tunnel after some very complicated years.

Yamaha is banking on MotoGP’s new era to reshuffle the deck, having found itself at the back despite the presence of world champion Fabio Quartararo. Hence the decision to offer an astronomical sum to Pecco Bagnaia who, after carefully evaluating the proposal, turned it down. And at a time when rider salaries are undergoing a marked decline! In the end, the VR46 Academy pupil preferred to embrace the Aprilia project, with a four-year contract. Which likely means, therefore, closing out his career there.

The backstory was revealed by Aprilia Racing boss Massimo Rivola. "If he chose us, it’s because he believes he can beat someone who, I won’t say underestimated him, but preferred other riders, despite him being the rider who brought the world title back to Ducati. He also turned down a higher salary offered by the Japanese manufacturer," the team principal told Motorsport.com.

After receiving the Italian rider’s refusal, Yamaha had to quickly find an alternative for its factory team. The choice fell on Jorge Martin, who will team up with Japanese rider Ai Ogura, currently at Trackhouse. Meanwhile, Aprilia achieved the goal it had pursued for some time: an all-Italian lineup with Marco Bezzecchi in the best form of his career.

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