Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia claimed his second win of the 2025 MotoGP season at Motegi. He dominated the weekend with pole position and a double victory.
It is the first time in 2025 that the Italian has been the fastest rider on track in a Grand Prix. Bagnaia has suffered immensely on the GP25, with it not suiting his riding style compared to its predecessor.
His team worked hard with him to fix his woes, but he continued to be beaten by the GP24 riders, which Ducati considered unacceptable from Bagnaia. The 28-year-old can return to last year’s bike, but Luigi Dall’Igna’s ‘ego’ prevents that change, as it would highlight that the GP25 is a worse machine.
The Japanese Grand Prix saw Ducati make changes ‘never’ seen before on Bagnaia’s bike, as he appeared to use several parts from the GP24. It gave him the feeling back on the machine as he claimed pole position and beat Marquez in both the Sprint and the main race.
Neil Hodgson felt Bagnaia was his older self at Motegi as he controlled the field and claimed maximum points for the first time in 2025. It has got the people closest to him excited about the future.
Francesco Bagnaia’s ‘inner circle’ are starting to believe he can ‘stand up’ to Marc Marquez in 2026
Bagnaia has been despondent in recent races as he could not find any answers to his problems on the GP25. But Ducati seem to have struck gold at last, as his performance at Motegi proves that he can fight with Marquez, who wrapped up the championship last weekend.
Speaking via Motociclismo, journalist Mela Chercoles says Bagnaia’s ‘inner circle’ are starting to think that he can challenge his teammate next season, after seeing the dramatic improvements made to his bike.
“It’s clear, first, that Pecco wasn’t mentally destroyed as many of us thought,” he said. “The vast majority of us thought that here. I’m one of those who thought that. If he’s done so well here, which is a double win in MotoGP, in Indonesia it can go wrong.
“I mean, he can’t go back to racing outside the points. I’m not saying he has to win again, but he can’t go back to racing outside the points. And what we have to do is keep him happy.
“I asked him if he thinks today marks the start of 2026 for him, because it’s a very important turning point in his sporting career, for him and for Ducati.
“Not because they don’t give out points, but in his inner circle, he’s starting to believe that next year he’ll be able to try to stand up to Márquez.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Ducati paid the price for not listening to Francesco Bagnaia sooner in 2025
It has been a frustrating campaign for Bagnaia’s side of the garage. It has taken him and Ducati 17 races to find the right balance with the bike.
Dall’Igna said Ducati were losing patience with Bagnaia as he could not find results like Marquez could on the GP25. However, the Borgo Panigale outfit may have now realised that his complaints about the machine were right all along.
Ducati ‘were not listening’ to Bagnaia until Casey Stoner intervened with his issues during testing at Misano. The Italian’s coach had said that his bike was shaking, which Stoner backed up in the garage, leading to his setup changes.
Fans accused Ducati of ‘robbing’ Bagnaia of a title fight in 2025. Now that they seem to have found what works for the Italian on the new machine, they may be able to start thinking about a charge for the championship against Marquez.
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