Ducati Rejects Contract Idea 5 Years For Francesco Bagnaia

Francesco Bagnaia will not be awarded a long-term contract with Ducati (Instagram/@pecco63).

JAKARTA Ducati memastikan tidak akan menyerahkan kontrak jangka panjang berdurasi lima tahun kepada pebala mereka Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia.

Meanwhile, Bagnaia is considered necessary to get a contract duration of five years after bringing Ducati to the second consecutive season champion, MotoGP 2022 and 2023. However, the idea regarding the contract was deemed inappropriate.

Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali, said that extending cooperation so far would not be healthy for companies and their riders.

"This is a competitive sport where things change. We all have to always be under pressure," Domenicali was quoted as saying by Sky Sport Italia.

Long contracts are still very rare in MotoGP. Six-time world champion Marc Marquez may be the only one who has received the longest cooperation offer.

The Spaniard was previously offered a four-year contract by Honda in 2020. However, the cooperation ended one year earlier.

Marquez has now moved to Ducati Gresini after ending his contract with Honda. He will be a competitor for other Ducati riders, including Bagnaia.

Domenicali said Marquez's presence would certainly make Bagnaia's struggle to keep his title next season even more difficult. Therefore, they need to see how competitive the riders will be next season.

"This will be a complicated year. Pecco will not only face Jorge (Martin) who is very strong to challenge, but many others, from (Fabio) Di Giannantonio to (Marco) Bezzecchi and Marquez," he said.

Bagnaia, who is battling a title this season after competing with Jorge Martin, is entering its final year on his contract.

Therefore, next year's results can determine his future. If he wins then it is possible for Ducati to extend his open contract.