Italian rising star Francesco Bagnaia will graduate to MotoGP as a factory-contracted Ducati rider in 2019, joining satellite team Pramac. The 21-year-old, who is part of seven-time premier class champion Valentino Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy, had emerged as a favoured option for a Pramac ride after a strong rookie season in Moto2. He was revealed to be in advanced talks with the Italian outfit last month, and will now head into his second campaign in the intermediate class with a MotoGP berth - and a works contract - already secured for the following year. Bagnaia had spent four years in Moto3, emerging as a benchmark rider for Indian manufacturer Mahindra towards the end of his tenure...
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