Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati had two different stories in their garage in 2025, as Marc Marquez dominated the championship, while Francesco Bagnaia suffered a disastrous season.
The latter has been, and still is, the Borgo Panigale factory’s golden rider with the success he has brought the manufacturer in MotoGP. Bagnaia is Ducati’s best rider of all time, but he knew that he would be facing an almighty challenge with Marquez as his teammate in 2025.
The Ant of Cervera came to the Ducati factory team looking to return to the top of the sport after years of injury woe at Honda. Nevertheless, Bagnaia backed himself to win the title – he could not have been any more wrong.
Francesco Bagnaia failed to score points in 18 of his 44 races in 2025.
Marquez adapted to the GP25 and won 25 races across the season, winning the championship with five races to spare. Meanwhile, Bagnaia found no feeling from the bike, which limited his strengths in braking and corner entry.
The Italian won just two races in 2025 as he struggled to find performance. Marquez’s injury at Mandalika gave him a chance to get some points on the board, but Bagnaia retired from the final five races, running mostly at the back of the grid.
Paolo Simoncelli thinks Valentino Rossi caused Francesco Bagnaia to underestimate Marc Marquez
Bagnaia finished P5 in the standings, 267 points behind Marquez. He lost out to Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta after struggling to stay on his GP25 in the final races.
It was not the season he or Ducati were expecting, and Paolo Simoncelli reckons that Valentino Rossi had a part to play in that.
“The Italian had a tense rivalry with Marquez in MotoGP, and with Bagnaia coming through his VR46 academy, Simoncelli thinks his circle caused him to underestimate his teammate.
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Speaking about Bagnaia to Corriere della Sera, the father of the late Marco Simoncelli said: “Let’s hope he’s sorted out his mind,” in reference to 2026.
Asked to elaborate, he said: “He wasn’t prepared for such a strong teammate. Pecco comes from Valentino’s group, and by listening to everything that was said in that group, he underestimated Marquez.
“The year before, he had lost the World Championship by winning 11 races. He thought, ‘I just need to crash less.’ But Marc is a beast on the track and he sent him into a crisis.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Francesco Bagnaia is now under pressure to fight with Marc Marquez in 2026
Bagnaia will want to reset and put 2025 firmly behind him over the winter period. He will need to, as rumours have suggested that his seat at Ducati is under threat.
The 28-year-old is out of contract at the end of 2026, and Ducati do not seem to have confidence in him to provide results. This is evidenced by the fact that Bagnaia has been given a deadline to convince the team that he should be given a new deal.
Marquez believes Bagnaia still has a future at Ducati and has a part to play in 2026. But it is clear that he cannot have a repeat of his 2025 campaign.
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali wants Bagnaia at the front with Marquez next season. If he cannot improve on the GP26, the relationship between the two parties could be over.
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