Giacomo Agostini is ‘convinced’ about what Francesco Bagnaia must do to regain his MotoGP form

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Francesco Bagnaia’s struggles have been under the spotlight during the current campaign, and legendary MotoGP figure Giacomo Agostini has outlined what the Italian rider must do in order for him to regain his form for the upcoming season.

Despite flashes of brilliance atop the factory spec GP24 this season, Bagnaia’s consistency to record results good enough to secure a spot on the podium has been a far cry from his form in previous seasons.

The 28-year-old has finished within the top two riders in the MotoGP standings for the last four years, two of those culminating in a world championship for the Italian rider.

However, the factory Ducati man has failed to replicate the results of his world-beating teammate, Marc Marquez, which is something that Jorge Lorenzo believes has ‘demoralised’ Bagnaia as the season has progressed and his results have waned.

READ MORE: MotoGP fans spot Luigi Dall’Igna’s reaction after Nicolo Bulega beats Pecco Bagnaia in first MotoGP session

Giacomo Agostini tells Francesco Bagnaia what he ‘needs’ to do for him to return to form next season in MotoGP

Bagnaia’s struggles to adapt to the GP25 have left the majority of the MotoGP paddock scratching their heads, and 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini is no different.

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 83-year-old was asked if he could give any advice to the floundering factory Ducati rider, to which he replied, “Unfortunately not. Giving advice is very difficult.”

However, Agostini did offer some guidance regarding what the 28-year-old can do outside of the race track, which may help his cause in the new year, adding, “Pecco is a great rider; he, too, has won world championships, and those aren’t won just like that.

“This year, I don’t know what the problems are, but perhaps he’s lost a bit of his edge, a bit of his morale. However, I’m convinced he needs to sit down, reflect, and I’m sure he’ll be as strong as ever again.”

The legendary figure in the world of Grand Prix motorcycle racing is desperate to see Bagnaia return to his form of past seasons, previously highlighting how ‘great’ it would be to see Marquez face a challenger for the title next season.

READ MORE: Kevin Schwantz admits he was wrong about Francesco Bagnaia after ‘horrible’ MotoGP downturn

The 2026 MotoGP season will be crucial in determining Francesco Bagnaia’s future at Ducati

Bagnaia’s performances during the 2025 campaign have seen his future within the Ducati stable thrown into jeopardy.

Once considered one of the best riders on the grid following his consecutive title triumphs in 2022 and 2023, Bagnaia’s stock has dropped considerably throughout the current term.

Bagnaia’s Ducati contract will see him race in red for the Borgo Panigale-based outfit until the end of the 2026 season, so it remains to be seen whether the Italian constructor believes he is worthy of an extension to that contract if he doesn’t sort out the issues that have plagued him this year.

There is a swathe of young talents in the premier class who can step up to take the seat from the Italian rider if his woes continue, with Ducati already eyeing Pedro Acosta, given his ‘superstar’ performances atop sub-optimal machinery at KTM.

Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer is another option for Ducati. The 20-year-old has already been tipped to be the future of the Italian constructor by Luigi Dall’Igna, and he has high hopes of racing for the factory outfit in 2027.