Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia is back in the title hunt as MotoGP heads to the Qatar Grand Prix. The Italian has endured a tough start to the year as Marc Marquez dominated the opening races.
Bagnaia went into 2025 looking to reclaim his crown. Despite winning 11 out of the 20 races in 2024, he lost the title to Jorge Martin by 10 points, with numerous crashes and poor starts proving costly.
Bagnaia admits it will take ‘years’ to get over losing the championship last season. It was clear it was still affecting him in the opening rounds of 2025 as his Ducati teammate Marquez gained the upper hand.
Marquez dominated in Thailand and Argentina to take pole position and win both races in each round. The 32-year-old looked set to do the same at the Grand Prix of the Americas – Marquez is the most successful rider at COTA.
However, after taking pole and the Sprint win, the Spaniard crashed on lap nine after running too high on the wet curb at turn four. Bagnaia inherited the lead and controlled the field for his first win of the season.
Valentino Rossi commends Francesco Bagnaia for his ability to ‘stay calm and learn’ after ‘very difficult’ start to 2025
Bagnaia’s win in Austin will be a huge sigh for relief for himself and Ducati. The Italian had offered little competition to his teammate before the race.
The 28-year-old had finished behind Marquez and younger brother Alex at every race prior to the Grand Prix. He was 31 points behind his teammate, with Ducati looking to put pressure on Bagnaia to find performance.
Luigi Dall’Igna told Bagnaia he could not aim for third if he wanted to battle for the championship. The Italian seemingly took that on board to claim the win at COTA.
Valentino Rossi also gave Bagnaia advice on how to beat Marquez – the MotoGP legend would have been delighted by the Italian’s win given his intense rivalry with his teammate.
Speaking with DAZN from the paddock in Qatar, Rossi commended Bagnaia for how he recovered from a ‘very difficult’ start to 2025.
“The first few races have been very difficult, especially because the Márquez brothers started off very strongly and were in great shape,” he said. “But Pecco has been able to stay calm and learn. He won in Austin and everything is very close, I think it will be a good battle.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Can Francesco Bagnaia beat Marc Marquez for the 2025 title?
Heading into the Qatar Grand Prix, Bagnaia is 12 points behind Marquez. The Spaniard’s brother Alex leads the championship by just one point after finishing second in every race so far.
The opening three races have not been circuits that are particularly suited to Bagnaia. Now heading into Qatar and Jerez – two strong tracks for the Italian – he has a chance to close the gap to his teammate.
Bagnaia has ‘recognised’ he must take points on offer, having learned from Martin beating him in 2024. He has to score where he can as one mistake from his rivals could work in his favour.
Marquez’s crash at COTA proves that an error can totally change the championship picture. Bagnaia will not want to waste this chance to take the lead in the standings.
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