Francesco Bagnaia has agreed to a two-year contract extension with Ducati, ensuring that he will remain with the Italian manufacturer until at least the end of 2026. Bagnaia, the 2019 Moto2 world champion, has been in excellent form over the past few seasons, securing seven wins in 2022 and defending his title last year with another seven victories. He has consistently finished no lower than second in the riders standings during his time with Ducati, and it was expected that he would sign an extension. Ducati announced the agreement ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend.
With his new deal, Bagnaia will continue racing for Ducati for the next three seasons, making him unavailable to other teams until 2027 at the earliest. Bagnaia expressed his excitement about staying with Ducati, calling it the “team of my dreams.” He is eager to build on the success he has had in his first three seasons with the organization and is looking forward to the start of the racing year in Qatar.
Ducati will maintain its current lineup for 2024, with Enea Bastianini, the winner of the 2023 Malaysian GP, aiming to challenge his teammate Bagnaia even more. Bastianini, the Moto2 champion in 2021, had a challenging first season with Ducati due to a shoulder injury and the adjustment to the new Desmosedici GP23 machine. His contract will expire at the end of the year, and Jorge Martin, the 2023 vice-champion, is eager to take his place.