Enea Bastianini will join Trackhouse-Aprilia for the 2027 season, where he will team up with Raul Fernandez to form the rider lineup for the new MotoGP era
Enea Bastianini has found a new racing home for the 2027 MotoGP season: The 28-year-old Italian, currently racing for Tech3-KTM, is joining Trackhouse-Aprilia and will initially sign a two-year contract.
This means the U.S. team will field a rider duo consisting of Bastianini and Raul Fernandez, who recently extended his contract through the end of 2028.
For Bastianini, the move also marks the next step in an already eventful MotoGP career. After stints with Ducati and KTM, the Italian is now heading to Aprilia’s Trackhouse project. It had already become known in early July that KTM had not exercised its option to extend his contract for 2027, clearing the way for the Italian to join Trackhouse.
Bastianini brings a wealth of experience
“I’m extremely excited to join the Trackhouse team for the next two MotoGP championships,” Bastianini said in the press release announcing the contract.
The timing is particularly interesting, as 2027 marks the beginning of a completely new technical era in MotoGP. Engine displacement will be reduced from the current 1,000 to 850 cubic centimeters, aerodynamics will be restricted, and the Michelin tires used to date will be replaced by Pirelli tires. Additional changes include the ban on ride-height and holeshot systems.
This is precisely where Bastianini sees a special challenge. “We’re entering a new era with a new motorcycle, new tires, and new rules,” says the Italian. He therefore wants to bring his experience and fighting spirit to the project to further develop the new Aprilia RS-GP together with Trackhouse.
From the Red Bull Rookies Cup to MotoGP Winner
Bastianini’s path to the premier class began early. After initial successes in Italian mini-bike and junior series, he entered the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2013. With two wins, he immediately finished fourth in the overall standings and moved up to the Moto3 World Championship the very next year.
In his first World Championship season, Bastianini secured three podium finishes and numerous top-10 results, earning him ninth place in the overall standings. In 2015, he took the next step and finished third in the World Championship, before battling for the title again in 2016 and finishing the season in second place.
In 2019, he moved up to Moto2. There, it didn’t take Bastianini long to adjust to the new class. In 2020, he won the World Championship, thereby cementing his place in MotoGP. He made his debut in the premier class in 2021.
In his very first season, he secured two third-place finishes, one in San Marino and one at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Misano. His breakthrough came a year later.
Bastianini quickly became a winner in MotoGP
Bastianini got off to a blistering start in 2022. At the season opener in Qatar, he celebrated his first MotoGP victory. Further wins in the U.S., France, and Aragon followed. By the end of the season, the Italian had secured four Grand Prix victories and finished third in the World Championship.
Known as “La Bestia,” Bastianini was thus definitively regarded as one of the fastest riders on the grid. However, an early injury slowed him down in 2023—ironically, the very year he moved up to the Ducati factory team. In 2024, he made an impressive comeback and remained in contention for the title for much of the season.
By the end of the season, he had nine Grand Prix podium finishes to his credit, including two victories. He also claimed a victory in a sprint race. In the overall standings, Bastianini finished in fourth place. This marked his last season to date in which the Italian was able to consistently contend for top positions.
On the KTM, however, the major breakthrough never materialized. Although Bastianini secured podium finishes and sprint victories there, he was unable to win a Grand Prix. With his move to Trackhouse and Aprilia, he now has the chance to realign his MotoGP career with a new technical project.
Trackhouse Bets on Bastianini and Fernandez
Trackhouse itself has high expectations for the signing. Team owner Justin Marks describes Bastianini as a key addition for the next phase of development. “It’s a very exciting moment for the team to bring someone like Enea on board for our Aprilias,” says Marks.
Above all, his “racing pedigree,” his MotoGP victories, and his experience at the highest level are, in Marks’ view, the ideal combination for a team that, in the words of the Trackhouse boss, is “on the verge of something big.”
Bastianini also impressed beyond his racing skills. Marks highlights his infectious personality, his enthusiasm for joining the new team, his humility, and his positive attitude. With Bastianini, Fernandez, and the team’s staff and partners, Trackhouse aims to “chase trophies and create unforgettable moments” in the coming years.
Joint Start to the New MotoGP Era
Bastianini himself admits: “It will be a real new challenge for me.” At the same time, he emphasizes that Trackhouse has already taken a significant step forward in development by 2026 and has become a title contender. “I will, of course, give it my all to ensure we stay at the top,” promises the newcomer.
Just how competitive the new combination of Bastianini, Trackhouse, and Aprilia will actually be should become clear for the first time at the Valencia test following the end of the 2026 season. That’s when not only a new chapter in “La Bestia’s” own career will begin, but also a completely new generation of MotoGP.
