Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia has been working hard to improve his fortunes at Ducati in 2026, but he says he has not received any guidance from Luigi Dall’Igna.
Pre-season testing has been hugely encouraging for the Italian as he appears more comfortable on the GP26. It is a sharp contrast to this time last year, as he struggled to find a feeling from the GP25.
These problems persisted throughout the season, finishing P5 in the standings with just two wins, 257 points behind Ducati teammate and champion Marc Marquez. But Bagnaia is looking to change that in 2026.
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The GP26 is much more suited to the 29-year-old’s riding style, and he is reaping the benefits of the bike. Bagnaia improved his one-lap pace during the Sepang test, with his race simulation being faster than Marquez’s.
Heading into the Thailand Grand Prix, the Italian will be in contention for victory, having made significant improvements over the winter period. However, he has claimed that he has done this without any assistance.
Francesco Bagnaia says he has not received any advice from Luigi Dall’Igna in 2026
The Ducati rider’s woes in 2025 were difficult for anyone in the team to explain, as they could not work out the reason for his underperformance. Dall’Igna warned Bagnaia he was losing patience, with rumours of a falling out between the pair.
For the 2026 season, Bagnaia has preferred to go his own way with his preparations, revealing to GPOne at the Thai GP that he has ‘learned on my own’.
When asked if he received any advice from Dall’Igna, he replied: “No, because I learned on my own, and in the end, I think it’s the best thing.
“Let’s say I’m pretty satisfied, more than I was in Malaysia. Sepang went well, but in Buriram we made a big step forward compared to 2025. It was an important test to see how I would adapt to the new bike and I liked how I did.
“Compared to the GP25, this bike only has a few differences, but they’re the right ones. In fact, I’m more comfortable riding it, and that’s what we’re looking for. It’s difficult to understand the overall standing at the moment, but I think we did a good job.”
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Can Francesco Bagnaia fight for the 2026 MotoGP title?
With a more comfortable bike behind him, Bagnaia could definitely throw himself back into contention for the championship. But the Italian does still have an uphill battle ahead of him.
Marquez remains the benchmark in 2026, even if he is struggling with his fitness after his injury in Indonesia last year. On the same bike, he is almost impossible to beat.
What would you change in our 2026 MotoGP top 10 prediction?
Neil Hodgson thinks Alex Marquez is Marc’s main rival this season after seeing his pace in pre-season. Marco Bezzecchi also poses a threat, with Aprilia closing the gap to Ducati.
Bagnaia is in the mix for the title, but he will have to up his game on the GP26 if he is to beat the riders aforementioned. There is also the awkwardness of Bagnaia joining Aprilia in 2027 that Ducati will have to combat with the Italian.
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