Pecco Bagnaia lands factory Ducati for 2021 MotoGP; Zarco, Martin to Pramac

Pecco Bagnaia has been officially confirmed with the factory Ducati team for the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, where he will join Jack Miller in being promoted from the Pramac Racing squad.

The Italian rider is competing in his second season of MotoGP with the satellite Ducati outfit and has earned his promotion on the back of a strong showing in the first half of the 2020 campaign, despite missing three rounds due to injury.

Peaking with his maiden podium result in Misano, Bagnaia came close to winning a week later at the same circuit, only to crash out of the lead with a few laps remaining.

Nonetheless, the 2018 Moto2 World Champion had done enough to seal his move into the factory squad, where he will join Miller in replacing Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci.

“My MotoGP debut was not easy, but at Ducati, they never questioned me: they gave me all the support and confidence that a rookie needs and they let me do experience in 2019,” he said. “

I listened to them, I trusted them, together we learned to know each other and understand each other, and now we form a great team. They taught me a method of work that allowed us to take away some nice satisfactions and I think that's 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 succeeded together with all of those who had always believed in me even when things did not go well.”

Their exit means Pramac Racing will take on a new line-up for 2021 with Johann Zarco promoted from Avintia Racing and Moto2 standout Jorge Martin to make his premier class debut.

Zarco comes to Pramac on the back of a strong season thus far with Avintia Racing - topped by a pole position and podium finish in Brno - one that saw him considered potentially for the factory ride alongside Miller, only to lose out to the similarly in-form Bagnaia.

Martin steps up to MotoGP at the end of what will be his second season in Moto2, where he is currently contesting the title against, among others, Enea Bastianini, who is set to land the Avintia Racing ride vacated by Zarco.