Pecco Bagnaia says goodbye to Ducati: "The best decision for me"

Only one week left until the start of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, and in Buriram, Thailand, engines are firing up for the final preseason test. These are hectic days despite the calm on the surface; in the coming days, the first official market announcements will arrive. Pecco Bagnaia will leave Ducati to embark on a new adventure with Aprilia starting in 2027.

Between mind and heart, Pecco Bagnaia seems to have chosen the latter. Two options were on the table for the Piedmontese rider: Yamaha and Aprilia. In the end, he is said to have chosen the latter, even if it means giving up a few million euros. He will team up with his Academy friend Marco Bezzecchi, leaving the Desmosedici after a full eight seasons together (and two MotoGP titles). Behind the scenes in the paddock, the final details are being ironed out, and Pecco was blunt: "I made the best decision for me."

Valentino Rossi’s protégé preferred Aprilia’s ambitious project over Iwata’s lucrative contract. His goodbye to Ducati is now certain, even though there were still some doubts up until the Sepang test. A love story ending with a bitter taste, complicated by Marc Marquez’s arrival in the Red garage. On top of that came increasingly insistent rumors of an agreement already reached between Borgo Panigale and Pedro Acosta. A situation no longer acceptable for Pecco Bagnaia, who certainly wasn’t short on offers from other manufacturers.

For now, there’s still a media blackout, but behind the scenes everything is clear. "I’m fully focused on these tests and the first race. In a few days, many announcements will come from various teams. Expect mine as well," said the Chivasso rider after the first day of MotoGP testing in Thailand. "I don’t know why I’m saying this now (laughs). I’ve already decided; I followed my instinct, I chose what I believed was best for me."

Setting the market aside, Pecco Bagnaia wrapped up the first day at Buriram with good feelings, topping the morning session. Despite everything, there’s a season to honor and still some goals to chase. "Compared to last year, it’s much better. The first day of testing was very difficult, but today I felt better with the new bike. Today it was important to clarify any doubts about the aerodynamics; I think we did a good job."

Today, the final day of testing will serve to clarify which aero package to homologate next weekend, when the 2026 MotoGP World Championship begins. "In the morning I used the old aerodynamics, in the afternoon the new one and, as always, each has its pros and cons. The 2026 one gives you more speed, but you lose a bit of maneuverability," clarified #63. "Everything is balanced; you just have to decide which path to take."

Despite the good feeling, the best lap once again ended up in the hands of the Marquez brothers. But this time Pecco is more optimistic than a year ago. He likes the new holeshot device introduced on the Ducati GP26. "Honestly, I think it works better and helps to slow the bike down. We can’t lower it any further, otherwise we’d touch the asphalt. It’s simply different, but it has nothing to do with the height."