Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia is under a little more pressure than Marc Marquez to perform at Ducati in 2026. It could have major consequences for his career.
Looking back at the last 12 months, the Italian rider, who was one of the top three MotoGP stars, has slid down the pecking order a little.
Bagnaia’s confidence has taken a hit, and he isn’t riding how he used to. Part of the issue may be having a teammate like Marquez, but it won’t be all of it.
It’s Ducati’s job to fix whatever went wrong last year, this winter. The pre-season test at Sepang is going to be vital for both parties.
Davide Tardozzi thinks Francesco Bagnaia is back 👀 How many races will he win in 2026?
Davide Tardozzi says Bagnaia must ‘live with’ pressure, and that it’s something he could improve in how he handles.
At the same time, Bagnaia has been told he’s ‘lucky’ to be Marquez’s teammate. Now that they have spent a little time together, the experience gathered should help make him a little more competitive.
READ MORE: Francesco Bagnaia responds when asked if he’s ‘relaxed’ about his Ducati future
Francesco Bagnaia’s demands sum up Luigi Dall’Igna’s problem with Ducati’s 2026 bike
MotoGP fans love Ducati’s new livery and have been impressed by the latest shade of red that will be hitting the track this year.
But it’s the bike itself which could prove to be tricky for Ducati chief Luigi Dall’Igna, tasked with making the GP26 the fastest machine on the grid.
His riders both want different things from the new model. Marquez is happy with how the GP25 was, while Bagnaia wants more ‘control’.
That exposes exactly what Dall’Igna’s problem is going to be this season. Who does he listen to? Surely it would be the reigning champion.
“Being able to control more the traction with the throttle,” Bagnaia requested during an interview with GPOne.
“Nothing. I feel OK,” added Marquez. “It’s true, for example, when I was riding behind Aprilia behind Bezzecchi, a lot of laps, so you try to analyse what they are doing better, but it’s impossible to have the positive of that bike and they will have some negatives. You don’t see the negative of the other bike.”
READ MORE: Valentino Rossi’s VR46 plan could now deny Francesco Bagnaia one ‘safety net’ for 2027
Why Francesco Bagnaia has a slight advantage over Marc Marquez in 2026
Bagnaia’s relationship with Marquez is ‘excellent’, and the two get on quite well for being multiple champions. They have the sort of dynamic which is pleasant for their team.
But after missing the final four rounds of 2025 and the post-season test, Bagnaia has a clear advantage over Marquez.
It’s his feedback that has been put into the GP26, and he will have tested various components that his teammate won’t have.
If ever there’s a time for that to show, it’ll be in the early rounds, before the seven-time champ plays an inevitable game of catch-up.
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