Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia’s form has seen the most noticeable drop-off of any MotoGP rider in 2025 since Ducati welcomed a new arrival.
Marc Marquez has not spared an inch in his pursuit of an eighth premier class title, and leads the riders’ championship by 120 points.
He has harmonised with Ducati’s GP25 so well and his opposition have no answer for it. In particular, his own teammate.
Bagnaia will hope that changes can be made over the winter to make his bike more suited to his riding style, otherwise, 2026 could be another long year for him.
So far, Marquez has earned a lot from Ducati bonuses, and the number is only likely to go up as the season goes on.
It’s pretty clear that Marquez’s ‘spectacular’ form has affected Bagnaia, whose confidence must have taken a hit after achieving one victory in 24 attempts.
READ MORE: Why Francesco Bagnaia was ‘embarrassed’ meeting his ‘idol’ Valentino Rossi before his MotoGP debut
Carlo Pernat can only see Francesco Bagnaia beating Marc Marquez with a mistake in 2025
Bagnaia was ‘really raging’ at Ducati after having to accept that he was slower than Marquez earlier in the season.
Even test rider Michele Pirro feels ‘sorry’ for Bagnaia and sympathises with his struggles on the GP25 at most circuits.
Because his range of struggles are so diverse, Carlo Pernat cannot see the two-time champion beating his teammate on merit this season.
“So, it’s Bagnaia’s head. I have the impression that if he has to get it into his head to fight for second place or if he gets a race, you know the ones that happen to you, where you don’t think about anything and you win big and maybe the other guy falls and you win,” he said.
“Maybe that’s where you’ll make a turning point because it becomes mental, but until that’s the case Giovanni, I have the impression that we’ll see a slightly better Bagnaia, but not the kind of guy who beats Marquez, that’s the sure thing.”
Why Francesco Bagnaia desperately needs to end dismal four-year feat
Even though Bagnaia was fortunate to inherit a win following Marquez’s fall at the Americas Grand Prix, he still had to nurse his bike to the chequered flag.
Since then, he has gone nine races without a victory. That’s the longest streak he has suffered in MotoGP after taking his first victory.
In other words, he’s on one of his worst runs of form over the last four years, and desperately needs to find a way to reach the top step of the podium again.
Bagnaia was visibly furious with Ducati before the summer break, but he needs his team on side if they are to help turn the tide for the rest of the campaign.
Ending his winless streak would give him some more confidence and remind him of exactly why he’s a multiple world champion.
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