Since Ducati Lenovo pulled the pin and announced its 2027 line-up, the pieces are starting to fall quickly. Another team has announced their driver pairing and this time, it is Ducati satellite (customer) team BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP. Like Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, BK8 Gresini Racing are opting for a brand new line-up. Álex Márquez and Fermín Aldeguer are making way for Daniel Holgado and Joan Mir.
Márquez and Aldeguer Depart
Both Márquez and Aldeguer will be departing the team at the end of 2026. Together, they have helped BK8 Gresini Racing rise up the field.
After winning both the Moto3 and Moto2 championships, Márquez joined MotoGP in 2020. Initially, he was set to pair with his older brother, Marc Márquez, at the Repsol Honda Team. 2022 saw him swap Honda for Ducati, joining the BK8 Gresini Team, where he has remained since. This pairing has proven fruitful for Márquez. Last year saw him take his maiden win and together, they came second in both championships.
Aldeguer was one of the rookies to join the grid in 2025. Unlike most, he didn’t compete in Moto3. Instead, his progression was MotoE, Moto2, then MotoGP. He had a relatively positive debut year, becoming the Rookie of the Year. Whilst his results fluctuated, Aldeguer showed his pace and skill, resulting in a maiden win in Indonesia. He was the first rookie to take a win since Jorge Martín in 2021.
Despite an outstanding 2025 campaign for the duo, 2026 has been marred by injuries. Aldeguer missed the first rounds due to a broken femur, and most recently fractured his T7 vertebra in a practice crash in Assen. Márquez achieved the first Ducati-powered win of the year, but a broken collarbone and fractured neck after a crash in Catalunya saw him also miss rounds.
“At the end of the season we will say goodbye to Alex and Fermin, two riders who have given a lot to our team, both in terms of results and human relationships. To them goes our thanks and best wishes for the future.”
~ BK8 Gresini Racing Team Owner, Nadia Padovani
A New Line-Up For A New Era
Saying goodbye to Márquez and Aldeguer means BK8 Gresini Racing will have an all-new lineup as they enter the new MotoGP regulations. For that, they have chosen former World Champion, Joan Mir, and rising Moto2 star, Daniel Holgado.
“Dani is a profile we have been following for a long time and we are pleased that he can begin his rookie experience with us. Joan is a MotoGP World Champion: his record speaks for itself. One is at the beginning of his journey, the other aims to rediscover his best sensations and make the most of his potential.“
~ Nadia Padovani
Joan Mir
Winning the Moto3 championship in 2027, Mir had a single year in Moto2 before coming into MotoGP. In his initial years, Mir raced for the Team Suzuki Ecstar. He showed promise in his rookie campaign, and the following year he turned that promise into results. With a shortened calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mir proved consistency is key.
Despite retiring from three races and only winning one, Mir took the 2020 World Championship. 13 points separated him from Franco Morbidelli. With more top-five results, the Suzuki rider showed that consistent results are better than yoyo-ing. He stayed with Suzuki until the manufacturer departed following the 2022 season.
Joining the factory Honda team, Mir’s second stint in MotoGP has been a challenge. With the team on a downward trajectory, his recent years have been characterised by poor luck and crashes. At the end of last year, he pushed through the bad luck to achieve two podiums. This year, he’s shown strength in qualifying. However, the luck still evades him.
Switching to BK8 Gresini Racing, he’ll be hoping for a turnaround of his fortunes. With Ducati as one of the powerhouse manufacturers in MotoGP, it could see him return to his earlier form and provide him more opportunities to fight.
Daniel Holgado
The first rookie of 2027 has been announced and it’s young Spaniard, Daniel Holgado. Currently, the young rider sits sixth in the Moto2 championship and races for the CFMoto Aspar Team.
The young rider joined Moto3 on a part-time basis in 2021, before becoming a full-time rider in 2022. After achieving 15 podiums and 4 wins, his best finish was in his final year: second overall in 2024 with Red Bull GasGas Tech3. Last year saw him rise to Moto2. After a settling in period, by the end of the year he was taking wins and podiums.
This year, he remains in Moto2. So far this season, he’s been a front-runner and challenging for podiums. Nine races in and he sits sixth in the standings, with three podiums, a win, and a pole position. His time in the lower categories has shown his strengths with outright pace and tyre management. He’s a strong rider, and BK8 Gresini Racing will hope he can continue to build those skills alongside them.
BK8 Gresini Racing
Currently, no word has come out about where their current riders will be in 2027. Speculation says Márquez could join KTM, whereas Aldeguer could stay in the Ducati family and move across to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team.
Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse’s general manager, has confirmed that BK8 Gresini will remain apart of the Ducati family in 2027 and beyond. Upon the line-up announcement, he shared that: “The BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP Team represents a key partner within our project and we will continue to work side by side with continuity, with the aim of furthering our shared growth journey.”
The announcement saw Padovani share that whilst a lot is changing, the essence of the team remains. They are committed to support Mir and Holgado as they join. They are the fourth team on the grid to solidify their 2027 line-up and it’s a different direction for them. Mir will be hoping his luck turns around, whilst Holgado will be looking to settle into the new challenge. How will the new team perform under the new regulations? We’ll have to wait and see.
