Francesco Bagnaia has endured a miserable season, yet he will carry Ducati’s hopes at the 2025 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix with Marc Marquez not racing through injury.
The Borgo Panigale team have confirmed that Marquez will miss at least the next two events in Australia and Malaysia owing to the collarbone injury that he suffered in Indonesia. Ducati have named test rider Michele Pirro as Marquez’s replacement for at least the Australian GP.
But it is feared that Marquez could miss the rest of 2025 through injury, having been forced to have surgery on his right collarbone. The 32-year-old was taken out on the first lap of the Indonesian Grand Prix by Marco Bezzecchi, who must serve a double long lap penalty for it.
Marquez’s absence leaves Bagnaia to carry the torch for Ducati at the Australian GP, plus the Malaysian Grand Prix on October 24-26. The Italian has played second fiddle to the Spaniard all term, with 274 points and two Grand Prix wins to the champion’s 545 points and 11 wins.
Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi backs Francesco Bagnaia for an Australian Grand Prix podium
Bagnaia has also only earned eight Grand Prix podium finishes through the first 18 rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season before the Australian GP, where he has finished on the rostrum in the past three years. The two-time champion secured P2 in 2023, plus P3 in 2022 and 2024.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Yet, even with the entire front row for the 2024 Australian GP of Jorge Martin, Marquez and Maverick Vinales all missing the 2025 meet, Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi says he is only targeting a podium for Bagnaia at Phillip Island despite knowing the “potential” he has.
Tardozzi told TNT Sports 2 (17/10, 05:03): “We know Pecco. We know his potential. When you have a rider like this, you are always looking for the podium.”
Francesco Bagnaia must lead Ducati’s hopes with Marc Marquez ruled out through injury
Aprilia have confirmed that Martin will also miss the Malaysian GP, with the 2024 champion continuing his recovery from a broken collarbone sustained in Japan. KTM Tech3 ace Vinales will also not race in Australia and Malaysia due to his dislocated and fractured left shoulder.
Vinales’ ongoing recovery from the injury he sustained during qualifying for the German GP back in July will offer Ducati and Marquez a clear example of why they must play his return carefully. But Tardozzi’s comments suggest Ducati are not confident about backing Bagnaia.
Only two rounds ago, Bagnaia won the Motegi Sprint and the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position to show Ducati what the Italian can achieve when everything is perfect. Yet Bagnaia would only back up that performance by delivering a weekend of abject misery in Indonesia.
Bagnaia finished the Mandalika Sprint in P14 and last, before then crashing out of the Grand Prix in Indonesia while even running in last place. So, Bagnaia wants answers from Ducati to explain his “strange” fluctuations in form seen across the past two rounds on the same bike.
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