Pecco Bagnaia, Just Like Jannik Sinner: Aprilia’s Announcement

Rumors had been circulating for some time, especially after his split with Ducati, but now it’s official: Starting in 2027, Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia will be an Aprilia rider. The two-time MotoGP world champion has signed a four-year contract with the Noale-based manufacturer and will form an all-Italian duo with Marco Bezzecchi.

Aprilia Racing announced the deal in an official statement: “Francesco Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia Racing starting in 2027. The Italian rider will race on the RS-GP alongside Marco Bezzecchi, thus completing the all-Italian lineup for the Noale-based manufacturer in MotoGP. Bagnaia’s signing is a major coup for Aprilia Racing, which, with the arrival of a three-time World Champion, further consolidates its position at the top of MotoGP. This agreement also underscores the strength of Aprilia Racing’s project on the eve of the 2027 technical revolution, which will see the introduction of new 850cc engines.”

“Francesco Bagnaia’s record is impressive: since his Moto3 debut in 2013, the Italian rider has demonstrated exceptional talent and great determination—qualities that have enabled him to win three world titles, one in Moto2 in 2018 and two consecutive titles in MotoGP in 2022 and 2023, with a total of 41 wins, 86 podium finishes, and 35 pole positions. A track record that makes Bagnaia one of the most successful Italian riders in the top class, second only to Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi,” the statement concludes.

Great satisfaction was evident in the words of Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola, who emphasized the sporting and symbolic value of the move: “Michele Colaninno and I share the vision of supporting Italy, and that is why we both thought of Marco and Pecco together for the next chapter of Aprilia Racing. Bagnaia’s arrival reaffirms the value of Italian sports, which in recent months has distinguished itself on the world stage thanks to the achievements of Kimi Antonelli in Formula 1, Jannik Sinner in tennis, and Federica Brignone at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. That’s why welcoming Pecco fills us with pride and gives Italian sports an extra boost on the global stage. We’ll give him and his family a warm welcome—but first, we’ll try to beat him! Having a multiple world champion on our team is a responsibility we can’t wait to take on.”