Ducati announces Acosta as Bagnaia replacement for MotoGP 2027

Ducati has officially signed Pedro Acosta for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, forming a dream line-up with Marc Marquez in its works team.

The news was finally made public on Wednesday, two hours after Francesco Bagnaia’s departure was announced, while Marquez’ new deal was made official on Tuesday.

The drawn-out Concorde negotiations between manufacturers and the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, which only reached a conclusion last Friday, meant many rider announcements were on hold until then.

As constructors now reveal their signings for 2027, Acosta’s arrival at Ducati certainly is the most spectacular and influential move on the grid, as MotoGP’s new 850cc era gets under way next season.

“Pedro represents the ideal candidate for the future of Ducati,” said general manager Luigi Dall’Igna.

“After Marc's confirmation, we wanted to add a young and fast rider to the Desmosedici GP development project. Pedro, in addition to being an undisputed talent, has demonstrated extraordinary precocity.

“In just under six years in the championship, he has won two titles in the lower classes and achieved truly convincing performances in MotoGP.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Photo by: Stephen Blackberry/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“His arrival in the team will be a stimulus for everyone; he will help us grow, and we will support him on the path to full maturity as a rider.

"I am confident that, with the encouragement of our team and given the right amount of time, his contribution, for sure, will ensure a further step forward in terms of performance and goals.”

Acosta has signed a two-year contract, and his salary is by no means the highest on the grid, though he will enjoy substantial victory and title bonuses, as is traditional at Ducati.

The 22-year-old has one of the greatest pure talents on the grid, having won the Moto3 title as a rookie and the Moto2 crown as a sophomore.

Acosta was trained in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, which he won in 2020, and was rescued by KTM when he had no ride, a few weeks before the start of the season, to successfully race in Moto3.

This cemented his alliance with the Austrian brand and he made his MotoGP debut with the satellite GasGas Tech3 team in 2024, taking five podiums.

In 2025 he was promoted to KTM’s works team, securing another five top-three finishes, and a further three this year, although victory is still eluding him.