By Benoit Karl · Published 23 August 2026
BK8 is the title sponsor of Gresini Racing’s MotoGP team, with the squad competing since the 2025 season as BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP. The agreement covers the 2025 and 2026 seasons and was extended in 2026 to run through 2027 and 2028. Riders Álex Márquez and Fermín Aldeguer race Ducati Desmosedici machines under BK8 branding, which appears on the bikes, race suits, garage panels, and team transport.
What is BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP?
BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP is the current name of Gresini Racing, an independent Italian MotoGP team, following BK8’s title sponsorship deal. The team is based in Faenza, Italy, and competes as a Ducati satellite squad, meaning it races Ducati-built machinery rather than a factory-run bike.
Title sponsorship in MotoGP means the sponsor’s name is folded into the team’s official name for the length of the deal, rather than appearing only as a secondary logo. Gresini Racing has changed its public name several times this way over the years, reflecting whichever brand held the title sponsorship at the time.
When did BK8 become Gresini Racing’s title sponsor?
The partnership was announced in February 2025, covering the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP seasons. In 2026, the two sides agreed to extend the deal through the 2027 and 2028 seasons, keeping BK8 as title sponsor for at least four consecutive years from the original signing.
The sponsorship debuted at the 2025 season’s Thai Grand Prix. BK8 branding appears across the Ducati Desmosedici bikes, riders’ leathers, team uniforms, garage panels, and transport vehicles. A revised 2026 livery, unveiled in Kuala Lumpur in January 2026, moved to a matte light-blue and carbon/black colour scheme.
The financial terms of the sponsorship have not been publicly disclosed. Sponsorship values in MotoGP are rarely published by either party, and no verified figure exists for this deal.
Who are the riders competing under the BK8 Gresini banner?
Two riders carry BK8 Gresini Racing colours in MotoGP: Álex Márquez (#73) and Fermín Aldeguer (#54).
Álex Márquez finished second in the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, his best result to date, and became part of the first pair of siblings to finish 1-2 in the premier-class standings, alongside his brother Marc Márquez. Fermín Aldeguer made his MotoGP debut with the team in 2025, won the 2025 Rookie of the Year title, and became the second-youngest race winner in MotoGP history with a victory at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
What is Gresini Racing’s history in motorcycle racing?
Gresini Racing was founded in 1997 by Fausto Gresini, a two-time 125cc World Champion, with Fabrizio Cecchini as technical director. The team’s first season fielded Brazilian rider Alex Barros in the 500cc class, and it has competed in the sport’s premier class continuously since the 2002 MotoGP-era rebrand.
Over its history, the team has won multiple riders’ world championships, including Daijiro Kato in the 250cc class (2001), Toni Elías in Moto2 (2010), and Jorge Martín in Moto3 (2018), plus the inaugural MotoE World Cup with Matteo Ferrari (2019). Riders who have raced for the team over the years include Loris Capirossi, Colin Edwards, Marco Simoncelli, and, more recently, Marc Márquez.
Fausto Gresini died in February 2021. His wife, Nadia Padovani, took over as team principal and has led the team since, including its return as an independent MotoGP constructor in 2022. According to team materials, 2026 marks roughly three decades since the team’s founding.
Because the team has changed title sponsors multiple times over its history, it has raced under several different names, including Fortuna Honda Gresini, San Carlo Honda Gresini, and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, before becoming BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP in 2025.
Is “BK8 Gresini Racing” the same company as the BK8 betting brand?
Sponsorship announcements name the title sponsor as “BK8 News,” described in press materials as a sports news and entertainment platform. Several sports-business outlets covering the deal describe BK8 News as originating from BK8, the wider Asia-facing betting brand. The precise corporate relationship between BK8 News and BK8, whether it is a separate legal entity, a subsidiary, or a marketing label, could not be independently confirmed for this article, and is not stated here as established fact.
What is confirmed by multiple sources: the sponsorship places BK8 branding on the team, and the deal follows BK8’s earlier sponsorship history in English football. Readers researching either brand should treat “BK8” and “BK8 News” as connected but not automatically identical for legal or contractual purposes.
Has BK8 sponsored other sports teams?
Yes. Before entering MotoGP, BK8 sponsored English football clubs, most notably a three-year shirt-sponsorship deal with Aston Villa beginning in the 2023/24 season, and a brief 2021 sponsorship of Norwich City that the club cancelled within days over marketing content. BK8’s football sponsorship history, and its current status, is covered in a separate article on this site.
Since becoming Gresini Racing’s title sponsor, the team has also attracted additional co-sponsors, including a multi-year deal announced in early 2026 with Chocolatos, an Indonesian snack brand owned by Garudafood, whose branding appears on the bike livery and riders’ leathers alongside BK8’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “title sponsor” mean in MotoGP?
A title sponsor’s name becomes part of the team’s official racing name for the length of the sponsorship, rather than appearing only as a logo. That is why the team competes as “BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP” rather than simply “Gresini Racing” while the deal is active.
How long does the BK8 sponsorship run?
The original deal covered the 2025 and 2026 seasons. An extension agreed in 2026 adds the 2027 and 2028 seasons, taking the partnership through at least four consecutive years.
What bike does the BK8 Gresini team race?
The team races the Ducati Desmosedici GP24, as an independent Ducati satellite squad rather than Ducati’s own factory team.
Is the BK8 Gresini Racing sponsorship connected to online betting?
Yes. BK8, the sponsor behind the team’s title branding, operates as an online betting brand across Southeast Asia. This page covers the sponsorship as a sports-business and entity-identification topic; it does not cover BK8’s licensing or legal status, which is addressed on separate pages of this site.
Has the team won races or championships since BK8 became sponsor?
Under the BK8 Gresini name, Álex Márquez finished runner-up in the 2025 MotoGP World Championship and Fermín Aldeguer won a Grand Prix and the 2025 Rookie of the Year award. Race-by-race results change throughout each season; readers should check MotoGP’s official standings for current results.
Sponsorship dates, contract terms, and team facts on this page are drawn from team and press announcements, cross-checked against multiple independent sources where possible. Financial terms of the BK8 sponsorship deal have not been publicly disclosed and are not stated here. This page covers BK8’s motorsport sponsorship only. It makes no claim about BK8’s licensing, legality, or operating status in any jurisdiction. See our Editorial Policy for how we verify claims like these, or our About page to learn more about this site.