Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia’s miserable 2025 MotoGP season is finally over after a torrid season on the GP25.
After winning 11 out of 20 races on the GP24, the Italian has not adapted to the new Desmosedici. He has constantly complained about a lack of feeling from the front end, limiting his strength in braking and corner entry.
As MotoGP went into the summer break, Bagnaia had just one win to his name as he and Ducati searched for answers to his problems with the bike. However, the situation has got even worse in the second half of the season.
The two-time premier class champion has struggled to fight for top-five finishes, let alone podiums. While he did win at Motegi after Ducati introduced GP24 parts, Bagnaia has not been able to stay on the bike.
He crashed out of six of the last seven races, getting wiped out by Johann Zarco on the opening lap of the Valencia Grand Prix. Bagnaia will want to put the GP25 firmly behind him and move on to 2026.
Neil Hodgson is ‘confident’ that Ducati’s 2026 bike will be better than their 2025 package
The Ducati no longer works the way Bagnaia had mastered in his earlier years with the factory team. While the Borgo Panigale outfit claim there are minimal differences between the GP25 and its predecessor, the Italian has found no feeling from the current bike.
Bagnaia, his teammate Marc Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez will step up onto the GP26 next season, while Fermin Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli will take the GP25. Neil Hodgson thinks that the new bike will be a better package.
Talking about Aldeguer’s rookie season being a building block for next year, he said via TNT Sports 2 (16/11, 1:57 pm): “Absolutely the building block, he’s had a fantastic rookie season. Alex Marquez will be excited about testing because, obviously, he’s going to feel a step.
“I’m confident that Ducati will provide a better package for next year, I’m confident of that. The question is, is it better than what Alex is on today?”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
The GP26 could change Francesco Bagnaia’s fortunes for better or for worse
It has been a nightmare season in the Italian’s garage. Bagnaia’s engineers cannot understand him and his complaints about the GP25, highlighting just how much a complete reset is needed.
He will test the GP26 at Valencia on Tuesday, giving him his first chance to get a feel for the new machine. He will hope that Ducati can deliver him a bike that he feels more comfortable on, but it could work both ways for the 28-year-old.
On the one hand, Mat Oxley says the GP26 will be the GP24 ‘in all but name’, which will be a delight for Bagnaia. He has been demanding that Ducati give him components from last year’s bike in 2025, having felt much more comfortable.
However, on the other hand, the GP26 will be more suited to Marquez, which could see the gap widen further between him and Bagnaia. The Spaniard can adapt to any bike he is given, and he has proven to be unbeaten at Ducati.
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