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Ducati sporting director Mauro Grassilli dismisses talk of a Francesco Bagnaia-Fabio di Giannantonio MotoGP swap.
Ducati’s sporting director, Mauro Grassilli, has denied rumors of Francesco Bagnaia swapping places with VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio for the MotoGP 2026 season. Bagnaia’s performance has declined since a strong showing at Motegi, dropping to fourth in the championship after failing to score points.
Fabio di Giannantonio, on the other hand, is sixth in the standings and expected to continue with VR46 next year. Grassilli clarified that Bagnaia will remain with the Ducati factory team, and di Giannantonio will stay with VR46.
Additionally, Grassilli mentioned the potential for Ducati’s WorldSBK rider Nicolo Bulega to replace Marc Marquez in the final two MotoGP rounds but emphasized the need for testing before a final decision.
Regarding Marquez’s recovery timeline from shoulder surgery, Grassilli mentioned a period of immobilization followed by rehabilitation and training to aim for the rider’s full readiness by early January next year. The official Sepang MotoGP test is scheduled for early February 2026.
