Francesco Bagnaia refutes Davide Tardozzi criticism of his attitude, ‘I will not change…’

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Francesco Bagnaia is considered to be one of the favourites for the MotoGP title in 2025 but faces a new challenge at Ducati.

The arrival of six-time champion Marc Marquez is sure to present a stiffer challenge to him than posed by ex-teammate Enea Bastianini.

Bagnaia missed out on a third consecutive title by 10 points to Jorge Martin last season, who has switched bikes to Aprilia for the new campaign.

It means Ducati may be fighting against themselves for top honours for the majority of the year. Managing their two riders may prove to be a bit of a challenge.

Peter Bom thinks Bagnaia is ‘untouchable’ against Marquez in one area. He has a very calm and composed mindset which helps him stay relaxed in race trim.

Franco Morbidelli thinks Marquez is faster than Bagnaia currently, which is a surprise given that he has only had five test days to get up to speed with his new team.

Francesco Bagnaia tells Davide Tardozzi ‘I will not change’ after gentleman criticism

Despite winning eight more races than any other rider last year, Bagnaia fell short of winning the title after countless mistakes.

Bagnaia spent his honeymoon ‘haunted’ by 2024 errors but he will have put that behind him heading into the new season.

Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi called him out for being too much of a ‘gentleman’ during his fight for the crown with Martin during an episode of MotoGP’s ‘Dream On’.

READ MORE: Francesco Bagnaia shares ‘the truth’ about Alain Prost comparisons amid Marc Marquez rivalry

Now the Italian has responded ahead of the start of the 2025 campaign, and has revealed his stance on his approach to racing for the future.

“I believe that everyone is made in their own way and I will not change because there is a need [to win],” he said.

“In the end, when there is a need to be aggressive, I have not demonstrated otherwise. Let’s say that it was a moment of tension for everyone and downloads it in their own way.”

Francesco Bagnaia afraid he will never discover Marc Marquez’s main ‘secret’ at Ducati

Now that Bagnaia and Marquez are in a team together, they have access to more data about each other than ever.

Studying it could prove to be beneficial for both sides, but they have their own styles and there are only so many conclusions that they can take.

Bagnaia is afraid he will never discover Marquez’s main ‘secret’ at Ducati, with the Spaniard renowned for being exceptional at left-hand corners.

READ MORE: Marc Marquez ‘worries’ Mattia Pasini after what he heard Ducati rider say about Francesco Bagnaia

If he does crack the code, then he may end up being almost unstoppable at the front. Pre-season testing indicated that he may be starting the season on the back foot though.

Marquez topped multiple sessions, while his Italian teammate sat further down the pecking order. Perhaps he was focusing on long-run pace, as that is where the points are won.