Between Pecco Bagnaia and Ducati a great love story seems to have been born. All that is missing is a World Champion title in the basket to celebrate a marriage for the better for the Italian fans and the worse for the opponents in MotoGP. But all that's missing is a signature at the bottom of the contract, which isn't really a detail. Thus, if the principle of a renewal of the lease is acquired by the parties, its official announcement remains awaited. It is promised for before the Qatar Grand which will open the 2022 campaign on March 6…
Pecco Bagnaia presents himself as a convinced and essential “Ducatist”. Captain of the Red Army in view of his brilliant end to last season, involved in the Borgo Panigale project to the point of advising young recruits, such as Bezzecchi, companion of the VR46 class said it at Sepang, it makes the happiness of Gigi Dall'Igna and his men who are convinced that he will be the successor of Casey Stoner in the quest for the MotoGP riders' title.
However, all these good things must be sealed on an officially initialed document. According to Motorsport-total, a two-year contract between Ducati and its pilot is being finalized. What will bind bagnaia at Desmosedici until 2024. The pilot of 25 years was a pilot Ducati throughout his MotoGP career. He debuted with the Pramac team in 2019 and remained there in 2020.
bagnaia was then promoted to the factory team last season, where he won four Grands Prix and took a total of nine podiums. He is vice-world champion, having been unable to upset fabio quartararo in his quest for the Grail with the Yamaha . After a strong second half of the 2021 season, the Italian is considered one of the main contenders for the title, which would be his second after Moto2 in 2018 and the second in Ducati history after the victory in Casey Stoner in 2007.
Ducati expects a “ natural evolution of things«
The extension of the contract is therefore a logical consequence of this almost idyllic development: “ At the moment we are about to extend Pecco. If there are no surprises, it will happen. This must be the natural evolution of things ", said Paolo Ciabatti, sports director of Ducati.
The new contract would come with a salary increase. In 2021, its third season in the MotoGP category, Motorsport-total reports that Pecco Bagnaia received a base salary of around €800. An amount which, after adding the performance-related bonus, amounts to around 000 million euros.
If the rest of the career of bagnaia among the red tunics seems sewn with white thread, it is a little more vague in terms of the subject of his teammate. Ducati will probably only decide after a certain time the name of who will share the box with Pecco from 2023. Jack Miller, whose contract expires at the end of the year, has not yet convinced the managers who also have the names of Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini. The first won a race in his first 2021 season, and the second reached two podiums while driving a GP19.
In fact, it is therefore unlikely that Ducati is looking to other names in the driver market to complete its clan in 2023. The manufacturer has enough talent in its Pramac, Gresini and VR46 customer teams.
