What people in the MotoGP paddock think Francesco Bagnaia could have achieved on Ducati’s GP24 this year

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Francesco Bagnaia has been struggling to find performance on the GP25 this season after enjoying incredible success on its predecessor.

The Italian won 11 out of 20 races in 2024 on the Desmosedici GP24, but still lost out to Jorge Martin by 10 points. Stepping onto the GP25 this year, signs were clear from pre-season that the new Ducati was a backwards step.

Bagnaia has been complaining about a lack of feeling all season as he struggles to match the performance levels of teammate Marc Marquez. He has finished behind the Spaniard in every race that he has not crashed at, those being Austin and Jerez.

The Borgo Panigale outfit have worked tirelessly to find solutions to the 28-year-old’s problems, but Bagnaia has questioned Ducati’s ‘improvements’. His woes have dragged on in 2025 as he sits 227 points behind Marquez in third.

He has been outperformed by Alex Marquez, who is riding the GP24 this year, as he finds no comfort level on the 2025 machine. But people in the MotoGP paddock believe things would go a lot different if Bagnaia were back on last year’s bike in 2025.

MotoGP paddock believe Francesco Bagnaia would be a ‘comfortable second’ behind Marc Marquez on the GP24 in 2025

Journalist Simon Patterson said via The Race that Bagnaia would be a ‘comfortable second’ behind Marc Marquez if he had the GP24. He would be much more competitive on last year’s spec, but still miles off his teammate, who continues to show he is a level above.

“I think, fundamentally, he is aware and Ducati has to be aware that this is a problem with their current bike, that the bike that they’ve brought, the GP25, doesn’t work for Pecco Bagnaia,” said Patterson.

“Arguably it doesn’t work for Fabio Di Giannantonio, who’s also having a much worse season than expected.

“And really, the only person who it’s ‘working for’ is Marc Marquez, because Marc Marquez is a level above everyone else in MotoGP and can make a bike than isn’t very good work for him.

“If everyone was riding a GP24 right now, Marc Marquez would probably have as big, if not bigger a points advantage at the front of the grid, but Bagnaia would be a comfortable second.

“I think that’s a pretty universal view on the bike that they’re riding this year. And as a result, I think that’s the kind of…

“I don’t want to say get out of jail free card, but it’s like the thing that’s got to be making both him and Ducati think that things aren’t as bad as they look right now and that there is a solution to this problem that will maintain Bagnaia’s future longer term for Ducati.”

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

Francesco Bagnaia could lose third in the standings if his Ducati woes continue

With just one win to his name in 2025 and no podium finishes in the last three races, Bagnaia is in danger of losing P3 in the championship. Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta are charging up behind, while Alex Marquez sits 52 points ahead in second.

The Italian would suffer devastating consequences if he lost third place, as Bagnaia would receive a pay cut from Ducati. He will be desperate to find answers to his issues in 2025, but he may have already exhausted his options.

Bagnaia said that he was out of ideas for his problems after returning from the summer break. The GP25 has not suited the Italian at all, and he will hope that next year’s bike will improve his feeling.

Bagnaia could possibly return to the GP24 as it has been homologated for Alex Marquez, Fermin Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli this season. But given Marc Marquez’s current form, even that may not be enough to beat him.