Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia has been searching for a positive feeling from his Ducati after a dismal 2025 campaign, and he may have just found it.
The Italian was desperately uncompetitive in 2025, struggling to find any feeling from the front end of the GP25. Bagnaia finished P5 in the standings with just two wins, failing to finish six of the last seven races.
Has Francesco Bagnaia found the key to fighting for the 2026 MotoGP title?
During the winter period, Ducati have been working to improve the Desmosedici, with the GP25 being a clear regression from the GP24. With the GP26, Bagnaia hopes to rediscover his feeling and his form, and he looks to be on the right track.
Bagnaia was ‘relieved’ in Malaysia as he improved his one-lap pace during the Sepang test. During the race simulations, Bagnaia was faster than Marc Marquez, and he carried this over to the Buriram test.
Francesco Bagnaia ‘really likes’ Ducati’s GP26 as he improves his braking and turning in Thailand
Bagnaia was P4 as Marco Bezzecchi set a new lap record of the Buriram circuit on day two of testing in Thailand. He was two tenths off the Aprilia rider’s pace, and he was singing his praises about the GP26 afterwards.
Speaking via Sky Italia, the Ducati rider explained how he felt much more comfortable on the bike in braking and cornering. It was a sharp contrast to this time last year, when he was complaining of a lack of feeling from the GP25.
Asked if he left anything out of his time attack, Bagnaia replied: “Yes, but it was a good lap. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the most of the third sector as much as I would have liked, but that’s no big deal.
“I’m still happy with the 1:28, which I think is half a second faster than the best lap I did in last year’s tests. So, it’s a step forward.”
Comparing last year’s bike, he added: “This was a very difficult test for me last year, less so this year. I really like the bike, I feel more comfortable: I can brake and turn in better. There are still some areas where we can work well, but overall it’s an improvement.
“I think it’s shared by all the GP26 drivers, you’ll see it in the first race.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Francesco Bagnaia finds Ducati solution too late as he looks Aprilia-bound
Bagnaia faces the ultimate test in Thailand as he will have to show that he can match up to Marquez during the season opener. Only then will it prove that he has returned to form, but the solution may have come too late.
Reports have suggested that Bagnaia looks set to join Aprilia in 2027, linking up with Bezzecchi. He has had to act fast on the MotoGP rider market, as Pedro Acosta is set to replace him at Ducati next year.
Predict the order of the Aprilia riders in the 2026 MotoGP standings
Bagnaia turned down a pay cut from Ducati to move to their Italian rivals. Yamaha have long been interested in the 29-year-old, but he looks to have turned them down as well.
Bagnaia rejected Yamaha’s ‘significantly more substantial’ offer to join Aprilia. He is banking on the Noale outfit having a competitive 850cc bike for the 2027 MotoGP regulations.
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