Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia is hoping that 2026 brings a much-needed reset and helps him get back into championship contention.
Last year was a disaster for him and Ducati, who were left mystified by his lack of pace at the majority of circuits.
Sometimes, it looked as though Bagnaia was on the verge of giving up. Who could blame him while his teammate was dominating?
Marc Marquez’s position is slightly weakened coming into the new season, having been on the sidelines since early October. Not only will he be slightly more rusty, but he hasn’t had as much input on the new bike.
Why should Luigi Dall’Igna design a bike that suits anyone other than Marc Marquez?
Marquez must watch out for ‘very strong’ Aprilia upgrades as they look to pile some pressure on the reigning champion.
After a year with his current team, Marco Bezzecchi knows the ‘key’ to beating Marquez lies within not putting too much pressure on himself if the Spaniard goes on a good run. It’s a long season.
READ MORE: Marco Bezzecchi reveals whether he will be Aprilia’s no. 1 rider as he hunts Marc Marquez
Franco Morbidelli thinks Francesco Bagnaia is lucky to be the ‘incredible’ Marc Marquez’s teammate
Bagnaia has an ‘excellent’ relationship with Marquez, and the two have got on quite well since they started working with each other just over 12 months ago.
Whether that changes with time and more on-track battles is up for discussion, but they should be a lot closer this season.
One of the advantages of being the teammate of such a great rider is the opportunity to learn. VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli thinks that both he and all the other Ducati riders are lucky from that perspective.
“Without a doubt, it’s a great incentive to have a champion like Marc Márquez on your team, riding the same bike as you,” he said, according to the Spanish edition of Motorsport.com. “It’s a real boost, and the reason is obvious: he’s always ahead and does truly incredible things with the bike.
“So every day, he pushes you to surpass your limits and try to reach his level. If he dominates this year like he did last year, it won’t be pressure at all.
“The pressure might come when you start fighting against him, but that’s a problem we didn’t have last year because Marc was competing in a completely different sport.”
READ MORE: Massimo Rivola tells Marco Bezzecchi what he ‘must learn’ before he can defeat Marc Marquez
What was the most concerning part of Francesco Bagnaia’s 2025 season?
Although the first half of 2025 was difficult for Bagnaia, it was nothing in comparison with what he experienced post-summer break.
Bagnaia has a ‘safety net’ for 2027 in case he decides to leave Ducati and search for a fresh start somewhere else.
But it’s the last seven races of 2025 that were his most damning. He won once, and retired from the other six events.
He and his team know that isn’t sustainable, and Marquez will be delighted if he replicates that this year. It’ll make his job an effective cakewalk.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
