Ducati Corse announced June 24 in Borgo Panigale, Italy, that it signed Pedro Acosta to a two-year contract with the Ducati Lenovo Team beginning in the 2027 MotoGP season. The move follows the confirmation that two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia will leave the factory team at the end of his current contract in 2026, officials said.
The departure was announced hours before the company revealed it had signed Spanish rider Pedro Acosta to a two-year deal with the Ducati Lenovo Team for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Ducati’s press release, issued from its headquarters in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, stated that Acosta will join the factory team after the 2026 season to ride the Desmosedici GP alongside reigning eight-time world champion Marc Márquez.
Ducati confirmed that two-time MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia will leave the factory team at the end of his current contract in 2026, officials said on June 24, 2026.
Ducati described Acosta as “among the most talented riders in the MotoGP nursery” with “remarkable technical and sporting development” in a short period, according to the official statement. Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, said Acosta’s progress has been “really remarkable” and expressed confidence that the pairing of Márquez and Acosta will form an “extremely competitive rider duo.” The announcement followed Domenicali’s earlier remarks that Ducati was evaluating multiple riders for the post-2026 lineup and would finalize its decision after the 2026 Sepang test.
Pedro Acosta, born in 2004 in Mazarrón, Spain, is a two-time world champion in the lower MotoGP classes, having won the Moto3 title in 2021 and the Moto2 championship in 2023, records show. Prior to signing with Ducati, Acosta was contracted with KTM in MotoGP, with sources confirming his KTM deal was nearing expiration, allowing Ducati to secure him on a factory contract. The move elevates Acosta to full factory status, where he will ride the same Desmosedici GP machinery as Márquez.
Bagnaia’s exit from Ducati ends a successful stint with the factory team, during which he secured two MotoGP world championships. Ducati’s official communication framed his departure as a natural conclusion to his current contract, not a mid-term release. Reports from Reuters and The Race indicated that Bagnaia is expected to join Aprilia as Marco Bezzecchi’s teammate starting in 2027, although Aprilia has not yet officially confirmed this transfer. This change is part of a broader reshuffling in the MotoGP rider market, with other significant moves anticipated involving Jorge Martín, Fabio Quartararo, and others.
The June 24 announcements were coordinated as a package, with Ducati first confirming Bagnaia’s departure and then unveiling Acosta’s signing, according to coverage by The Race and Reuters. Social media and team-related posts corroborated the timing and details of the two-year contract with the Ducati Lenovo Team. Ducati emphasized that signing Acosta “further strengthens Ducati’s racing project and confirms the company’s commitment to investing in the best young talents in MotoGP.”
The new Ducati Lenovo Team lineup for 2027 will feature Acosta and Márquez as factory riders, a combination Ducati described as a “MotoGP superteam” by some media outlets. Ducati’s official release and CEO Domenicali highlighted the expected competitiveness of the duo, signaling high expectations for championship contention. Crash.net reported that Ducati also shared Márquez’s reaction to Acosta’s arrival, though full details of the reigning champion’s comments remain within broader coverage.
This rider market shift is part of a larger “domino effect” in MotoGP, with Bagnaia’s move to Aprilia likely to trigger further transfers across top teams. The Race outlined that Jorge Martín is poised to leave Aprilia for Yamaha, while Fabio Quartararo is expected to move to Honda, though these moves have not been formally announced. Ducati’s decision to bring in Acosta after a thorough evaluation process reflects the competitive nature of the MotoGP rider market ahead of the 2027 season.
Acosta’s signing marks a significant step in his career, moving from KTM to a factory Ducati seat, where he will compete at the highest level alongside a multiple world champion. Ducati’s official statements and industry reports consistently identify Acosta as a “super talent” and a key figure in the company’s long-term racing strategy. The transition will take effect after the conclusion of the 2026 season, with Ducati’s factory team set to field the new pairing starting in 2027.
