Simply days earlier than the beginning of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship, Ducati Corse and Francesco Bagnaia solidified their future collectively by placing pen to paper, saying the signing of an settlement that binds the two-time MotoGP World Champion to the Borgo Panigale producer for the 2025 and 2026 seasons as properly.
The contract renewal ensures continuity for an all-Italian profitable pair: an ideal mixture of the expertise and efficiency of the Desmosedici GP and the expertise, ardour, and willpower of Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia.
Born in Turin in 1997 and residing in Pesaro, Bagnaia joined Ducati with Pramac Racing in 2019. With the extension of his present contract, he’ll additional solidify his place within the historical past of the Borgo Panigale producer, turning into the second rider to be linked with Ducati for a complete of eight years.
Bagnaia made a reputation for himself in 2020 by securing his first MotoGP podium in his dwelling race at Misano Adriatico, and in 2021, he was promoted to the manufacturing unit crew. Throughout his first yr using the purple Ducati Lenovo Staff machine, he narrowly missed out on profitable the World Title, ending because the runner-up after an exhilarating season finale. The yr 2022 marked Bagnaia’s breakthrough, as he clinched his first MotoGP Riders’ World Title, additionally turning into the primary Italian to take action on an Italian bike: the Desmosedici GP. This victory marked Ducati’s second Riders’ World Title, following Casey Stoner’s success in 2007, 15 years earlier. With the #1 on his bike’s entrance fairing, Bagnaia was once more topped World Champion in 2023, thanks to a different outstanding season that noticed him declare 15 podiums, 7 victories, and seven pole positions.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Staff)“I’m so completely satisfied to proceed racing with the crew of my goals! Sporting these colors is an honour for me. It’s implausible and a supply of pleasure. Along with Ducati, my crew, and all the blokes at Ducati Corse, we’ve achieved unimaginable issues. In these three extra years (together with 2024) forward of us, we’ll proceed to present our greatest to realize as a lot success as potential. I’m overjoyed and able to hit the observe in Qatar for the primary race of the yr.”
Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Motor Holding)“Pecco is actually the proper rider for Ducati. He represents our values at their finest: model, magnificence, and efficiency. Not solely is he quick, decided, and tenacious on observe, however he additionally stands out for his magnificence and schooling off the observe. I’m very completely satisfied for this renewal, which I’m certain Ducatisti everywhere in the world will welcome with enthusiasm.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse Common Supervisor)“We’re extraordinarily completely satisfied to have Bagnaia with us once more for 2025 and 2026. Collectively, we have now written an essential web page of motorcycling historical past: Pecco was the primary Italian rider to win a World Title in MotoGP with an Italian bike, our Desmosedici GP. Collectively, we introduced again a Riders’ World Title that had been lacking for 15 years, and we did it once more final yr. He’s a two-time World Champion and has confirmed on multiple event that he actually deserves the #1 on the fairing of his bike. Along with these outcomes, Bagnaia continues to display that he’s in excellent concord together with his bike and crew. For all these causes, it was pure for us to wish to proceed with him. Due to this fact, we sit up for this new chapter collectively, assured that we are able to obtain different essential outcomes.”
Statistics from 2019 up to now
GP Begins with Ducati in MotoGP: 86First GP: Qatar 2019Wins: 18First GP Win: Aragón 2021Podiums: 35First Podium: San Marino 2020Pole Positions: 18First Pole: Qatar 2021Fastest Laps: 13Points: 1085World Titles: 2 (MotoGP 2023, MotoGP 2022)
Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Staff will hit the observe for the opening Grand Prix of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship from March eighth to tenth on the Lusail Worldwide Circuit in Qatar.
