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Ducati announces Bagnaia MotoGP contract extension
Francesco Bagnaia has raced for Ducati throughout his MotoGP career, starting with Pramac Racing in 2019 before moving up to the factory team in 2021. He ended Ducati’s 15-year title drought in 2022 and secured a second championship last year by defeating Jorge Martin in the Valencia showdown. The confirmation of Bagnaia’s contract extension through 2026, as predicted by Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna, came ahead of the Qatar GP this weekend. Bagnaia expressed his happiness to continue with his dream team, emphasizing the honor and pride he feels representing Ducati. The terms of the contract are confidential, but Bagnaia is likely to earn a base salary of around seven million euros, with performance-related bonuses potentially pushing it to 10 million euros if he secures a third championship. With Bagnaia secured, the focus now shifts to determining his teammate for the upcoming seasons, with Enea Bastianini, Jorge Martin, and possibly Marc Marquez in contention for the seat alongside the double MotoGP champion. Ducati’s future plans also involve signing Moto2 rider Fermin Aldeguer for the 2025 season, positioning themselves for a strong lineup in the coming years alongside other riders with contracts extending beyond 2024.
