MotoGP paddock rumour claims Ducati made change to Pecco Bagnaia’s bike that didn’t seem ‘possible’

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Francesco Bagnaia has a chance of finishing in the top two of the MotoGP standings once more after an electric performance at the Japanese Grand Prix.

After a horrid season, the two-time champion looked like himself once more on his Ducati bike, claiming a pole position and two victories at Motegi. It means that the end of the MotoGP season should be a little more exciting than anticipated just a few weeks ago.

Following the Misano test, Bagnaia appears to have made a breakthrough with the GP25, nearly eight months on from riding it for the first time. It appears the advice of fellow two-time champion Casey Stoner might have helped him to make a discovery.

Bagnaia is making progress ‘little by little’ according to teammate Marc Marquez, who can afford to ride to his limits again after finally sealing his seventh title. Ducati are refusing to reveal a ‘top secret’ Bagnaia change, but it might just have set him back on the path towards contention for 2026.

READ MORE: Ducati ‘were not listening’ to Francesco Bagnaia’s coach about key problem until Casey Stoner intervened

MotoGP paddock rumours suggest Ducati gave Francesco Bagnaia a 2024 bike with a 2025 engine

Luigi Dall’Igna had to beg the stewards not to disqualify Bagnaia after smoke started pouring from his bike halfway through the Japanese Grand Prix. Fortunately, oil was being burnt, rather than spilt onto the track, which saved him from punishment.

Bagnaia avoided a Ducati ‘disaster’ and lives to fight another day. Journalist Peter Bom believes that there is a chance he has reverted to last year’s bike, with this year’s engine, according to ‘rumours’ he has heard after the race at Motegi.

“For me, Pecco is back now, what we see in here this weekend, to his earlier form from this season,” he said.

“I need to see another race to see if he’s even better than earlier in the year, because this was a race where Alex Marquez never really was in the game, and Marc decided the championship is the most important thing that can happen here for me this weekend.

“But we also have to remember that Motegi really only needs one thing and only one thing. Super precise upright braking. It needs accelerating too, but that’s not difficult now with the ride height devices and stuff,” Bom continued.

“So, this means we still need confirmation, I need confirmation to see if Pecco can, from now on, be closer to Marc than he ever was in the season. 

“Now rumour has it that he has a 2024 bike, with a 2025 engine that they tried it something like that in Misano. Something we always were believing and thinking, this is not possible, because you would have done it before. So, was it, or was Ducati stubborn?”

READ MORE: Neil Hodgson explains how Marc Marquez looked like Francesco Bagnaia at the Japanese Grand Prix

How Francesco Bagnaia matched his longest Ducati streak in 2025

After joining Ducati’s factory team back in 2021, it took him just 14 races to win his first race both for the team and in MotoGP.

The 2021 Aragon Grand Prix was a special occasion, but so too was this year’s Japanese Grand Prix. Marquez winning the title stole the headlines, but Bagnaia saved himself from beating one streak.

If he had failed to win, he would have officially beaten his longest streak at the factory team without a victory (14 races).

Fans think Ducati ‘robbed’ them, but at least they might have just made the fight for victory at every race between now and the end of the year much more interesting.