Francesco Bagnaia’s father tells his son what he must do to beat Marc Marquez at Ducati

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Francesco Bagnaia went into the 2025 MotoGP season with confidence about a title charge. But he has faced a whole new challenge on the other side of the Ducati garage.

Bagnaia backs himself for the title this season after losing to Jorge Martin by 10 points in 2024. However, he was certain to have fierce competition from teammate Marc Marquez.

After two races, the Spaniard has stamped his authority and dominated proceedings. Marquez has grabbed pole position and every race win so far this season, with Bagnaia having little answer.

The Italian finished third behind his teammate and brother Alex Marquez in Buriram. At the Argentina Grand Prix, he was 5.5 seconds behind and off the podium in fourth, losing to the brothers and satellite Ducati rider Franco Morbidelli.

Bagnaia’s crew chief was ‘nonplussed’ after the race – something Mat Oxley had ‘never seen’ before. No one on the 28-year-old’s side of the garage seems to have an answer to Marquez’s dominance.

Bagnaia is already 31 points behind his teammate heading into the next round in Austin. The two-time MotoGP champion’s father has offered some advice.

Pietro Bagnaia tells his son he must enter s ‘different dimension’ to push further and beat Marc Marquez

Much has been made about Bagnaia’s start to the season and if he is cracking under the pressure from his teammate. Ducati engineers are already gravitating towards Marquez after his display in Buriram and Termas.

Michael Laverty thinks ‘everyone’ is wrong about Bagnaia as he defended the Italian’s resilience in Argentina. While he fought back well from almost another Q1 appearance to finish fourth, the 28-year-old is on the back foot and has to find a cutting edge to get back on top.

Speaking with Mowmag, Bagnaia’s father Pietro has said champions find a ‘different dimension’ where they can find the ‘sensation’ to push forward. He claims his son has not ‘entered the bubble yet’ and he and Ducati must find that to beat Marquez.

“The word flow is in fashion now, but I don’t know if it gives a good idea. There’s definitely something missing, which isn’t much, but which doesn’t allow him to have those two extra tenths in his wrist that are needed. Not seconds, but tenths,” he said.

“I don’t know if it’s a question of adapting to the bike, of trust, something technical or more simply of riding. It could also be a combination of a bit of all these things.

“Let’s put it this way: he hasn’t entered the bubble yet. In sports, not just in motorsport, champions often talk about entering a sort of different dimension in which they feel that sensation that makes them push a little further with the certainty that everything will be fine.

“To reach that bubble, however, you need to have everything perfectly in your hands and under control. Pecco and Ducati are working hard to get to those sensations as soon as possible.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Ducati’s strange advice to Francesco Bagnaia is not what he needs against Marc Marquez

Marquez’s perfect start to 2025 has been incredible – but it is alarming for Bagnaia, especially how off the pace he has been in comparison. However, while it looks bad losing to satellite Ducati riders, his start to the season is not as bad as some think.

Bagnaia has matched his best start to a MotoGP season with 43 points. He managed this feat in 2023 after Portugal and Argentina – he won his second title that year.

The Italian has never started strong in any season in the premier class and Bagnaia’s ‘relaxed’ demeanour shows he is still in the title hunt. However, it is clear he has to find another level to beat Marquez – which makes his team’s advice even more bizarre.

‘Ducati people’ have told Bagnaia to ‘wait’ and be patient in his fight with Marquez. This is something he surely cannot afford to do given Austin is another strong track for the Spaniard.

Bagnaia could be more than 40 points behind come the end of round three. While it is important to not make mistakes, he has to show ruthlessness to compete with Marquez.