Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia’s painful 2025 season must be viewed through the lens of Marc Marquez’s spectacular success on the other side of the Ducati garage.
Bagnaia ranked third out of six Ducati riders in the championship, outscoring fellow GP25 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46). He won four races, including Sprints, and scored 15 podiums.
Those numbers make it look like a solid season for Bagnaia, but the comparison to Marquez is damning. While the Spaniard, who missed the last four races through injury, averaged 30.3 points per weekend, Bagnaia averaged just 13.1.
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In Marquez’s hands, the Ducati GP25 looked like one of the greatest motorcycles ever built, winning 25 races. In Bagnaia’s, it looked like an erratic and untrustworthy machine that ultimately succumbed to the Aprilia and the KTM.
Marc Marquez told Ducati how to ‘protect’ Francesco Bagnaia
Before the 2025 season started, the media were closely observing the body language at Ducati, sure that a gripping rivalry would develop between the incumbent champion and the incoming legend.
But within a few rounds, it became clear that Marquez and Bagnaia were pursuing different objectives, and their status within the team changed.
Marquez was filmed giving Bagnaia advice during the season as the Italian rider started to question himself and his team.
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Speaking to Motorsport Espana, Davide Tardozzi revealed that Marquez also told Ducati how they should manage Bagnaia at his lowest moments. Tardozzi was stunned by his ‘supportive’ attitude.
“Look, I’m going to tell you something I’ve only told a few people,” he said.
“Believe me when I say that during Pecco’s most difficult times, especially on two very specific occasions, Marc told me what to do or not do so as not to upset him, because he was doing very well and was worried about disturbing Pecco’s peace of mind.
“I’d never seen that in any other rider. A supportive and protective attitude towards Pecco, trying to temper the enthusiasm surrounding his victories.
“I don’t want to say when or where those two situations occurred, because it wouldn’t be fair, but he showed a character that, in my opinion, is that of a great person, a very good person.”
Pecco Bagnaia has a bigger priority than fighting for the MotoGP title
Bagnaia says Marquez puts on a ‘show’ when he celebrates, so it’s not as if he allowed the mixed emotions at Ducati to cloud his own achievements.
Still, Tardozzi said separately that Bagnaia and Marquez genuinely act like friends, and both riders have spoken highly of the relationship.
One could almost forgive Bagnaia for feeling some resentment. He was previously the poster boy for Ducati after his 2022 and 2023 title wins.
If Marquez were still on a Honda, then Bagnaia would likely have won a few more races last year and his season would be viewed differently. The growing gap to Marquez was likely what prompted his desperate experimentation.
But heading into the 2026 season, Bagnaia genuinely seems to be focused on himself. He isn’t talking about fighting Marquez for the title; he just wants to enjoy his riding again.
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