Ducati Lenovo reshuffle riders for 2027, with Pedro Acosta joining Marc Marquez as Francesco Bagnaia exits - 'Everyone wins here' says Neil Hodgson
By Ben Morse
Updated 25/06/2026 at 17:25 GMT+1
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TNT Sports expert Neil Hodgson believes that "everyone wins" following the reshuffle of riders at Ducati Lenovo, with Pedro Acosta replacing Francesco Bagnaia as Marc Marquez's team-mate next MotoGP season.
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Ducati announced on Wednesday that Bagnaia - known as Pecco - will leave the team at the end of the 2026 season.
Hours later, Ducati said Bagnaia would be replaced by 22-year-old Acosta next year, joining Marquez who signed a two-year contract extension with the team on Tuesday.
And Hodgson believes that this is a good move for all parties involved.
"For Ducati, they keep the gold standard in Marquez while locking down the next generational talent in Acosta," the former British and World Superbikes champion said.
"Everyone wins here, and it's going to be absolutely fascinating to see just how fast Pedro can go when he's on equal machinery."
Bagnaia spent eight seasons with Ducati, with his title victory in 2022 giving Ducati its first success in 15 years.
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The 29-year-old leaves as the most successful rider in Ducati history, with two riders’ world titles - in 2022 and 2023 - along with 31 wins, 63 podiums, and 28 pole positions.
But he has struggled for results after last winning the title three years ago, finishing fifth in the 2025 standings and currently sitting seventh this season.
It was confirmed on Thursday that Bagnaia would complete an all-Italian line-up with Aprilia Racing, linking up with Marco Bezzecchi.
And as one of the most established riders on the MotoGP circuit, a fresh start could benefit the Italian, according to Hodgson.
"If you're Pecco, you've already won two world championships with Ducati, but you're currently struggling to beat your team-mate, who is signed up for another two years," he explained.
"If you stay, you risk a very miserable two years. Moving to a factory team like Aprilia gives him a fresh start and a technical package that might give him the precise edge he needs to fight Marc.
"Plus, Pecco is a highly sensitive, technical rider; he will bring a treasure trove of Ducati data, philosophy, and secrets straight over to Aprilia, which is a massive win for them."
Replacing Bagnaia will be Acosta, who is seen as one of the stars of the next generation in MotoGP.
He won MotoGP's Rookie of the Year title in 2024 and finished fourth in the overall standings last season, racking up 13 podiums.
With reigning world champion Marquez as his team-mate, Hodgson believes the Spaniard can flourish.
"If you’re Pedro Acosta, you are an unbelievably rare talent, but you're currently constrained by a KTM package that hasn't been consistently championship-ready for the last five years," Hodgson said.
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"He is mentally rock solid and completely ready to step into the lion's den on the best bike in the paddock against the absolute best rider."
Acosta sits one place ahead of Bagnaia in this season's world championship standings, with Marquez fourth after back-to-back wins in his last two races.
Marquez will seek to win a second title in a row and continue to increase the pressure on championship leader Bezzecchi - Marquez sits 40 points behind - at the Grand Prix Netherlands on Sunday, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
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