Bagnaia joins Miller at Ducati Team for 2021

Ducati Corse have confirmed that Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) will be joining current teammate Jack Miller at the official Ducati Team in 2021.

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Bagnaia has had a hugely promising 2020 campaign. A mechanical issue in Jerez ended the Italian’s hopes of a maiden MotoGP™ podium, before a fractured a leg sustained in the Czech Republic caused him to miss three races. However, Bagnaia – who was still walking with crutches – returned to action with a bang on home soil. Pecco picked up a dream first premier class podium with a stunning P2 at Misano, before an unfortunate crash a week later at the same venue cost Bagnaia what looked like a nailed-on victory.

After his 2020 showing, the 23-year-old has been rewarded with a step up to the factory Ducati team for next season. Both he and Miller will be donning factory red in 2021 in an exciting, youthful and extremely fast Ducati Team line-up.

Francesco Bagnaia: “I chose to be a Ducati rider even before becoming the Moto2 World Champion in 2018 and they chose me even before knowing that one day I would become one. This was our bet, because up until that moment I had always been a fast rider, but I didn't have anything concrete in my pocket: Ducati decided to believe it even before everyone else. We didn't know how it was going to go, but to date, if I had to go back, I'd do it all over again.

“My MotoGP debut was complicated, but at Ducati they never questioned me: they gave me all the support and trust a rookie needs and they let me experience in 2019. I listened to them, I trusted them, together we learned to know and understand each other, and now we form a great team. They taught me a working method that allowed us to take away some great satisfaction and I think this is just the beginning. Today I am the happiest person in the world, for me it is a dream come true: being an official Ducati rider has always been my ambition and I have succeeded together with all those who have always believed in me even when things did not go right. best of ways. Special thanks to Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall’Igna, Paolo Ciabatti and Davide Tardozzi for their trust, to the Pramac Racing Team who welcomed me like a family and to the VR46 Riders Academy which has always supported me over the years.”