Ducati announced the signing of Pedro Acosta for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, hours after confirming Francesco Bagnaia will leave the factory team at the end of 2026. Acosta will form a headline partnership with seven-time world champion Marc Marquez, whose contract was extended until 2028 earlier this week.
Bagnaia’s departure closes an eight-year chapter with Ducati, during which he delivered the team’s first riders’ title in 15 years in 2022 and became its most successful rider with 31 victories, 62 podiums, and 28 pole positions. Known as "Pecco," his final race will be the Valencia Grand Prix on November 27-29.
Acosta, 22, is widely regarded as one of MotoGP’s brightest talents. He won Moto3 and Moto2 world titles within three years of his championship debut and claimed Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. With KTM, he finished fourth overall in 2025 with 13 podiums and currently sits sixth in the 2026 standings, 48 points behind leader Marco Bezzecchi.
Bagnaia claimed his first win of the season in last week’s Czech Grand Prix sprint but slid to third in the main race after being overtaken by Marquez and Ai Ogura. He now trails Bezzecchi by 53 points heading into the Dutch Grand Prix.