Alvaro Bautista may move to MotoAmerica in 2027, with Strack Racing Team understood to have made the two-time WorldSBK champion its preferred target. Strack is considering a change from Yamaha to Ducati, and Bautista is said to be the rider wanted for its Panigale V4 R if negotiations with Ducati produce an agreement. The possibility remains unconfirmed.

The link follows a difficult 2026 campaign for Bautista. His season with Barni Ducati yielded just one podium, at the opening round in February, while he was generally outperformed by Yari Montella, his teammate in the team’s second season together. A crash at Most left Bautista with a foot fracture and disrupted his progress. He moved closer to the level associated with his record during the final two rounds in October, but crashed from a podium position at Estoril and then finished fourth at Jerez.

The potential move could coincide with Danilo Petrucci’s expected return to MotoAmerica in 2027. Petrucci suffered significant injuries in a crash during Race 1 at the Czech Round, and his time with BMW’s WorldSBK squad ended after one season. MotoAmerica was the series that helped propel him into WorldSBK in 2022, giving the proposed return a clear connection to his previous career path.

Ducati still has ground to recover

The new Panigale V4 R did not dominate its first MotoAmerica season. Bobby Fong secured the championship for Yamaha, while PJ Jacobsen was the leading Ducati rider in sixth place in the standings. Cameron Beaubier won once on a Ducati but missed several rounds through injury. Bautista and Petrucci arriving together would give MotoAmerica two prominent European names, while a successful Strack-Ducati project could turn the team into a 2027 title contender.