Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia finally bagged his first Sprint victory of the 2025 season at the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday. The confidence of Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi appears to be well-placed.
Tardozzi suggested Bagnaia had ‘found something’ on Friday when he topped the opening practice session. He went on to take his second pole of the season by outpacing Honda’s Joan Mir.
The last time Bagnaia started at the front in Brno, he dropped back to seventh in the Sprint. But this was a dominant display from a rider who finally looked like himself again.
He saw off any threat on the opening lap and proceeded to build his lead, eventually finishing 1.8 seconds clear of his teammate Marc Marquez. Marquez can seal the title this weekend but he was no match for Bagnaia on Saturday.
Davide Tardozzi celebrated harder than he had all season after Francesco Bagnaia’s Sprint win
Shortly after Bagnaia crossed the line, the world feed cameras cut to a visibly delighted Tardozzi in the Ducati garage. He could be seen embracing his colleagues as Bagnaia returned to the starting grid for the podium ceremony.
Tardozzi personally filmed Bagnaia’s celebrations, with the #63 rider responding by kissing his phone camera. Speaking on TNT Sports’ coverage, commentator Gavin Emmett suggested that the team manager hadn’t been so thrilled by a victory all season.
His colleague Neil Hodgson agreed, stating that Bagnaia is finally ‘back’ after a desperate 2025 season. Marquez has won a total of 25 races this year, while his two-time world champion teammate has descended into crisis.
“I haven’t seen Tardozzi celebrate like that, I don’t think, at any point this year pretty much,” Emmett observed.
Hodgson replied: “I think you’re right, that means a lot to everyone at Ducati. Their man is back, factory Ducati one and two.”
What exactly have Ducati changed on Pecco Bagnaia’s Japanese Grand Prix bike?
This is Bagnaia’s first victory of any description since Austin, when he capitalised on Marquez’s fall to win the Grand Prix. Last year, he triumphed 18 times across the two disciplines.
In their efforts to recapture that form, Ducati have reverted to last year’s fork. One of the team’s technicians says this ‘completely changes the bike’s set-up’.
Bagnaia has trialled increasingly radical solutions, but none have been this effective. Caution will remain for now ahead of the full-length race, and he must replicate this form at the remaining rounds too.
Fellow Ducati legend Casey Stoner was in Bagnaia’s box at Misano last weekend, offering the #63 some advice and spotting issues that had escaped the attention of his engineers. Perhaps he played a role in the Motegi revival.
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