Francesco Bagnaia has been linked with a shock move away from Ducati in recent weeks. The Italian has been desperately struggling on the GP25.
The jump from the GP24 to the GP25 has been difficult for Bagnaia. He won 11 races on the year-old machine in 2024, but he is not getting the same feeling out of the new Desmosedici.
Bagnaia has struggled to compete with the GP24 riders in 2025, with Gresini’s Alex Marquez sitting 48 points ahead of him going into the Grand Prix of Aragon.
With just one win all season, Bagnaia has been pleading for help from Ducati to find improvements on the bike. His struggles have prompted stunning rumours that he may not be riding in red in 2026.
Yamaha have been linked with the two-time MotoGP champion as the rider market throws up several possible movements for next season. Yamaha view Bagnaia as their ‘forbidden dream’ for 2026, which would open the door at Ducati for riders like Alex Marquez.
Alex Marquez’s agent says he will not join Ducati if Francesco Bagnaia leaves due to his Gresini contract
The Gresini rider has been his brother Marc Marquez’s closest rival in 2025. Alex Marquez won his first MotoGP race on home soil at Jerez and claimed the Sprint win at Silverstone.
The 29-year-old has only finished outside the top two three times this season as he establishes himself as a firm title contender. Alex Marquez’s mother wants him to win the 2025 championship, joking with Marc that he has enough titles and should let his brother win.
With Alex Marquez’s performances on the GP24 and Bagnaia’s links to Yamaha, the Spaniard will surely be one of, if not the top contender, to land the Ducati seat if it becomes available. However, his agent Jimmy Martinez appears to have shut that down.
Speaking with AS, he pointed out that Marquez has a contract with Gresini until 2026, meaning he is ‘not an option’ for Ducati even if Bagnaia leaves: “Alex has a contract with Gresini next year, so it’s not an option,” he said.
“Ducati Lenovo is still the benchmark team right now, and I believe the riders not only have the job of going fast, training, and so on, but they also have the job of identifying the best possible team and getting on the bike with the best possible chance of winning.
“Then it’s our job (as managers) to make sure they’re in that team with the best possible conditions. Historically, riders in all disciplines who have looked for other aspects don’t win. You have to find the perfect combination of team and bike, so that the rider can then deliver.
“But as I said, it’s very curious that in June 2025 the market is so hot.”
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What have key figures been saying about Francesco Bagnaia’s links to Yamaha?
Jorge Martin’s decision to leave Aprilia has sparked chaos in the MotoGP rider market, with so many transfers being touted before the summer break. Bagnaia’s links to Yamaha are perhaps the most shocking, and it has sparked much debate amongst key figures.
Neil Hodgson says there’s ‘no point’ in Bagnaia staying at Ducati while he is Marc Marquez’s teammate. No rider has come close to the Spaniard on equal machinery and given his struggles on the GP25, the Italian’s best bet may be to move to another manufacturer.
Carlo Pernat says Bagnaia’s links to Yamaha are ‘absurd’, but stressed that it could be a ‘possibility’. The Japanese manufacturer will certainly keep tabs on the Italian’s situation as they look to potentially partner him with Fabio Quartararo.
Pedro Acosta ‘highly doubts’ Ducati will drop Bagnaia amid his poor form. It seems the team have no intention of doing so, as Ducati want Bagnaia to stay as his links to Yamaha ramp up.
