Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati may have wrapped up all three championships in MotoGP in 2025, but it has been a torrid end to the season for the Borgo Panigale outfit.
Marc Marquez claimed his ninth Grand Prix title at Motegi after a dominant season with the factory Ducati team. But at the following round, he crashed with Marco Bezzecchi and fractured his right collarbone, ending his season.
This left the responsibility with Francesco Bagnaia to lead the team in the final four races, with Michele Pirro standing in for Marquez in Australia and Malaysia. However, the Italian was on a wretched run of form with the GP25, and it got even worse in the final rounds.
The two-time MotoGP champion failed to finish six of the last seven races, winning the other at Motegi, after Ducati introduced GP24 parts to his bike. It seemed like Bagnaia was finally comfortable on the GP25 in Japan, but with the same setup, he crashed in the last five races.
He did claim pole position and the Sprint win at Sepang, but a rear tyre puncture cost him on Sunday. Pirro did not score points in his two appearances for Ducati, as to be expected from a test rider, but Bagnaia’s woeful form painted an alarming picture for the team.
MotoGP fans stunned as Ducati scored only two points on Sunday after Marc Marquez’s injury
WSBK rider Nicolo Bulega stepped in to replace Marquez for the final two races at Portimao and Valencia. Having never ridden a MotoGP bike before his test at Jerez, he finished P15 in both races, scoring a point in each.
Rather worryingly, these were the only points scored from a factory Ducati rider after Marquez’s injury at Mandalika. Fans were left staggered by the fact as they took to X (formerly Twitter).
“That’s actually outrageous,” wrote one fan. Another echoed: “That’s absolutely brutal,” as the factory Ducati team walked away from Valencia with just a point.
One user was left completely bewildered by the stat as they said: “Sentences I didn’t think I would read.” Another felt sickened by it: “I don’t feel well.”
One fan even thanked Bulega for his efforts at Portimao and Valencia, as they wrote in Italian: “Grazie Bulega.”
Finally, one user warned Ducati of what could happen if they lose Marquez: “They will need a major rethink if Marc Marquez moves elsewhere at the end of next season. Maybe Razgatlioglu?”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Ducati’s woeful end to 2025 highlights how much trouble Francesco Bagnaia is in
Ducati’s end to the 2025 season is truly shocking, especially considering that the only points scored on Sunday were from a stand-in rider.
It could have been even worse for the Borgo Panigale outfit, as it can easily be argued that Bulega’s points finishes were fortuitous. Bagnaia’s crash at Portimao effectively handed his teammate a point, while several retirements in Valencia bumped the Italian up.
Marquez’s injury has clearly hit Ducati harder than they had feared. It spells trouble for the team as they head into post-season testing, with the Spaniard’s absence almost certain to hamper the development of the GP26.
It is almost worrying for Bagnaia, as six DNFs from the last seven races show how desperate his situation is. The GP25 has not suited his riding style at all, and he will be praying that the GP26 is a drastic improvement.
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