Francesco Bagnaia 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 in recent seasons, securing seven victories in 2022 and defending his title last year with another seven wins. He consistently finished at least 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 for other teams until at least 2027. Bagnaia expressed his excitement to remain with Ducati, calling it « the team of my dreams. » He is looking forward to building on the success he has had in his first three seasons with the organization and is eager for the start of the racing year in Qatar.
Ducati will retain its current lineup for 2024, with Enea Bastianini, winner of the 2023 Malaysian GP, aiming to further challenge his teammate Bagnaia. Bastianini, the 2021 Moto2 champion, had a challenging season with Ducati due to a shoulder injury and adapting to the new Desmosedici GP23 machine. His contract will expire at the end of the year, and Jorge Martin, the 2023 runner-up, is keen to take his place.
