After announcing at the beginning of June that she would not activate the option planned to extend with Alvaro Bautista in 2026, Ducati and theThe Aruba.it Racing team seems tonow rreassess their position…
In June 2025, Ducati had officially informed Baptist that his contract would not be renewed for the 2026 season, despite an exit clause included in the initial agreement signed a year earlier.
This decision followed the contractual option including a clause allowing both parties to terminate the agreement - an act that Ducati actually started before the July deadline.
Ducati has yet to secure a satisfactory replacement since the June announcement, and the team therefore appears inclined to reconsider its decision due to the lack of a convincing alternative. According to GP One, this re-examination could well lead Ducati to reconnect with Baptist.
Alvaro Bautista's successor seems to be nowhere to be found by Ducati
Baptist, for his part, assures that the factory Ducati « never told him she didn't want him ", but only that she preferred " wait " before deciding. He hopes to be able to clarify his future by September.
Behind the scenes, Ducati would already be considering alternatives for 2026, citing in particular Senna Agius as a possible future replacement - the young Australian rider being on the manufacturer's radar for his performances in Moto2.
In short, although Ducati initially ended the collaboration with Baptist For 2026, the inability to identify a satisfactory replacement is forcing the brand to reconsider its decision. It remains to be seen whether this reflection will translate into a concrete turnaround—the discussions will be decisive in the coming weeks.
