Michele Pirro feels ‘sorry’ for ‘struggling’ Francesco Bagnaia after what he’s seen inside Ducati this season

Add as preferred source on Google

Despite sitting comfortably in third place in the 2025 MotoGP riders’ standings, Francesco Bagnaia has struggled with his Ducati bike as Marc Marquez dominates on the same machinery.

Bagnaia‘s issue lies within the GP25 that Ducati chose to enter for the factory team this season. Marc Marquez has dominated the field atop the new machinery this year, but results have been harder to come by for his counterpart.

After a tough qualifying at the Americas Grand Prix, Neil Hodgson threw doubt on Bagnaia’s claim that the bike suits his riding style, theorising that the two-time MotoGP champion is trying to trick himself into believing his own words.

Marquez could be the reason for Bagnaia’s woes, as reports emerged linking the Spaniard to the reason that Ducati homologated the GP25, due to his impressive times on the bike during testing.

Michele Pirro thinks the help given to Francesco Bagnaia from Ducati is ‘not enough’

Speaking to GPOne, Ducati test rider Michele Pirro revealed what the team are trying in order to aid Bagnaia’s return to his championship-winning ways, saying, “In all kinds of ways, such as trying some solutions again.

“But we don’t have a magic wand: there are no materials or parts that we create that work right away. It’s a team effort, group tuning, and as we got out of this kind of situation a few years ago, we will try to do it again this year.”

Despite Bagnaia’s struggles, Ducati Lenovo are still comfortably leading the teams’ championship. However, even without Bagnaia’s tally of 213 points, the team would still be leading the championship due to Marquez’s dominant haul of 381 points so far this term.

Pirro still thinks Ducati have the superior line-up to their MotoGP rivals, continuing with, “I am convinced that we have the strongest team, a ‘dream team,’ and we should be happy about that.

“I am happy that Marquez is back to prove his worth, although on the other hand, I feel sorry for Pecco, because he is the rider who brought the World Championship back to Ducati.

“We have been working together for so many years, I have seen him grow, and to see him struggling gives me a bit of a problem. We are trying in every way to help him, but sometimes it’s not enough.”

Francesco Bagnaia’s form in the 2025 MotoGP season is a far cry from what we’ve previously seen

With 12 rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season in the books, Bagnaia has claimed just one win on the same bike that has carried his teammate Marquez to eight victories.

The record is of stark contrast to Bagnaia’s form last season, which saw him win seven of the opening 12 rounds. The Italian narrowly missed out on the title last year by 10 points, despite winning 11 Grands Prix to eventual champion Jorge Martin’s three victories over the course of the season.

The Italian will need a change in form if he is to continue riding for the factory team. Ducati have reportedly been spotted holding talks with Fabio Di Giannantonio over a possible ride for the constructor when the new MotoGP regulations are introduced in 2027.

He will have to find it within himself to turn his season around, however, with Ducati refusing to fix a critical issue Bagnaia is having on the GP25 that was his ‘strongest’ trait last season.