Francesco Bagnaia is moving closer to a deal with Aprilia for the 2027 MotoGP season, with the Ducati rider reportedly valuing a more competitive bike over a higher salary from Yamaha.
Bagnaia’s future has been one of the main storylines of the 2027 rider market, especially with Ducati expected to bring in KTM’s Pedro Acosta. The split between Bagnaia and Ducati became inevitable after a tough 2025 campaign.
The two-time champion was a title contender every year from 2021 to 2024, winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. But he never got comfortable on the new-spec Desmosedici GP25. After only earning fifth place in the standings, he then failed to finish six of the last seven races.
Aprilia and Yamaha were both quick to express interest, especially with Jorge Martin considering leaving Aprilia for Yamaha, who are looking to rebuild their lineup. Fabio Quartararo is set for a move to Honda while Alex Rins’ contract is up at the end of this year.
Francesco Bagnaia expected to turn down Yamaha’s offer for faster Aprilia bike
It looked for a while like Yamaha were favourites to land Bagnaia, but recent developments have swung momentum towards Aprilia. According to The Race, the two-time MotoGP champion is now close to finalising a two-year deal with Aprilia that would see him make the switch in 2027.
While Yamaha put forward a lucrative offer, Aprilia never backed away from their pursuit and ultimately managed to sway him. Despite the Japanese manufacturer’s proposal being financially stronger, Bagnaia has chosen to prioritise performance over salary.
Aprilia’s RS-GP has caught his eye as he looks to bounce back from a difficult year and return to form quickly. While Yamaha’s new V4 engine holds promise, it may take time before they’re truly competitive again.
Francesco Bagnaia could lose £3.5m a year by joining Aprilia over Yamaha in 2027
Bagnaia and Aprilia are now ironing out the final details of his move from Ducati, with the switch expected to happen in 2027. Reports from Italy earlier this week indicated that a three-year deal was close to being finalised, with Bagnaia set to join up with friend Marco Bezzecchi at the team.
Bezzecchi signed a new two-year contract with Aprilia at the start of February, as he was set to be out of contract in 2026 like Martin and Bagnaia. Now, the Italian team are set to boast an all-Italian line-up in what many MotoGP fans had believed would be Bagnaia’s best move.
Earlier reports had suggested that Bagnaia was leaning towards Yamaha, sparking concerns among some fans who felt it wasn’t the right fit for him. But his priorities have shifted after seeing how much stronger Aprilia’s bike is compared to Yamaha’s current offering.
The difference in salary between the two offers is significant. Aprilia have reportedly put forward a deal worth £2.6m per year, while Yamaha were prepared to spend around £10.5m on their lineup, including a £4.5m offer for Jorge Martin.
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