Chris Walker has a theory about Francesco Bagnaia’s Ducati struggles – he’s suffering without Jorge Martin

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Francesco Bagnaia arrives at the Argentina Grand Prix after making a disappointing start to the 2025 season on his Ducati. Marc Marquez has built an early 14-point advantage over his teammate.

Any hope that Bagnaia may be quicker at the outset was rather brutally extinguished. Though he rode a GP23 bike at Gresini last season, Marquez has handled the two-step spec change admirably.

But losing out to one of the all-time greats is acceptable. The bigger concern was surely lagging behind Alex Marquez on a year-old motorcycle.

Pol Espargaro says Bagnaia will come under intense pressure if he continues to lose out to the younger Marquez brother. The year was sold as a head-to-head between the factory duo.

Bagnaia spent his honeymoon ruing the mistakes that cost him the 2024 title against Jorge Martin. Luigi Dall’Igna would have hoped to see a more motivated rider as a result, but he’s already looked forlorn at times.

Francesco Bagnaia may be missing Jorge Martin’s ‘homework’ at Ducati

Martin is currently absent after suffering two serious falls – and undergoing two surgeries – during the winter. He missed Thailand and has subsequently ruled himself out of Argentina and the United States.

In last season’s title battle, slow starts were a theme for Bagnaia. However, he was often able to recover in time for qualifying.

Martin, who was riding for then-Ducati satellite squad Pramac, partly put this down to his rival studying his data. But Bagnaia won’t have that luxury this year, even when the Spaniard does return, because he’s switched to Aprilia.

World Superbike race winner Chris Walker texted Neil Hodgson during FP1 at Termas de Rio Hondo. He suggested that Bagnaia may be a little lost without the Martinator doing some of his ‘homework’.

“An interesting question from my own rival and very good friend Chris Walker,” Hodgson said. “Do you think it could be affecting Bagnaia that Martin’s not riding a Ducati anymore? If you think, Jorge Martin always accused Bagnaia of, over the weekend, copying his homework, copying his settings on the bike.”

Marquez’s ‘peculiar’ riding style means it will be less effective if Bagnaia attempts to use his settings.

“They’re allowed to do it,” Hodgson added. “Obviously, you’d say surely he’ll just copy Marc’s. But Marc rides in such a peculiar way that you can’t copy that.”

Neil Hodgson feels sorry for Francesco Bagnaia after what he saw at Argentina Grand Prix

Bagnaia insists he won’t play any games in his battle with Marquez. That stands in contrast to his mentor Valentino Rossi, who harnessed any off-track advantage he could find.

Scott Redding praised Bagnaia for telling fans not to boo Marquez at Misano last year. Rossi, Redding says, stoked the hostility instead.

The no. 63’s rider’s insistence on being a ‘gentleman’ will be tested during the season. There’s already a feeling that he’s losing ownership of the team.

Indeed, Hodgson noticed that almost every MotoGP fan flocked to Marquez’s area in the Argentina Grand Prix paddock. That’s bound to be a disheartening sight for a two-time premier-class champion.