Bagnaia: New Ducati MotoGP deal “important” to focus on 2024 title defence

On Monday of this week ahead of the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix, Ducati announced it had re-signed Bagnaia for two more years beyond 2024.

It was a move Ducati was keen to secure before the new campaign got under way, not least with the rider market for 2025 set to be chaotic with more contracts up for renewal.

On Thursday in Qatar, Bagnaia says the deal was “not that hard” to do and that discussions began last year.

“What we can say, we are arriving here in a great shape,” said the reigning double world champion, who also topped both pre-season tests.

“We worked perfectly in the test and we managed to do all the job we were planning and my feeling on the new bike is quite good.

“For sure, we did just five days of testing, so we need more laps on it.

“But the feeling is very positive and it looks that this year’s bike is quite competitive right now.

“Renewing the contract was something very important for me, it was something very important for Ducati.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“So, having a clear mindset is better and I can be focused only on doing the results.”

Bagnaia added: “We started speaking about the renewal last year. We were all on the same direction. I want Ducati, Ducati wants me, so it’s something that came together.

“We had time to do it without having so much pressure. But for sure both sides were doing their job, so it was quite easy finally to go through and we are happy altogether. So, it was not that hard.”

Bagnaia is one of four riders secured beyond 2024, alongside KTM’s Brad Binder (who is also contracted to 2026), LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco and factory Honda rider Luca Marini – both on deals to the end of 2025.

The factory Ducati seat alongside Bagnaia is expected to be hotly contested between a number of the Italian marque’s runners, including Enea Bastianini, Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez.