Bagnaia Holds Onto Hope Amidst Disappointing MotoGP Campaign

Francesco Bagnaia has expressed his determination to rebound after a challenging MotoGP season, which he characterized as potentially the most difficult of his career, despite a season-ending setback at the Valencia Grand Prix.

The two-time MotoGP champion’s race concluded prematurely on the fourth corner of the Ricardo Tormo Circuit after contact with Johann Zarco of LCR Honda sent him into the gravel. Stewards penalized Zarco with a long-lap penalty, with the Frenchman ultimately finishing 12th. Bagnaia’s incident marked his fifth consecutive retirement from a Sunday race, a stark contrast to his victory from pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi in September.

Bagnaia, riding the GP25, struggled throughout the year with a motorcycle he felt was not well-suited to his riding style and exhibited handling characteristics that hindered his performance. While he secured multiple podium finishes in the first half of the season, his performance declined significantly following the summer break, often resulting in his failure to advance directly into Q2 during qualifying sessions and subsequent struggles during the races.

This slump caused him to fall from third to fifth in the championship standings, losing ground to Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia and Pedro Acosta, the KTM sophomore rider. Acosta’s strong late-season performance underscored the challenges Bagnaia faced.

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Despite the Valencia crash, for which he did not place blame on Zarco, Bagnaia conveyed optimism for the upcoming Valencia test, hoping it will offer insights before the winter break. "One of the hardest [seasons] and maybe the worst season I had – mostly the last part," Bagnaia stated, summarizing his difficulties. "There is not much more to say about it. I said enough during the season. Now, I’m just looking forward to riding the bike in the test, hoping that we will find a solution. I’m a dreamer, so I’m still thinking and believing it will be possible, and see if we can start with a good pace for the test in February."

After his retirement from the race, Bagnaia was seen observing the initial laps from Turn 4 before returning to the paddock. "Surely, after this season, I just would have liked to enjoy, to have fun during the race," he commented. "For three corners, I had fun. And I think the possibility of a good race was there. To finish in the top seven, top six was possible, considering the feeling, and the fact that I was with the medium [tyre] and the big fuel tank."

Bagnaia’s struggles during the Valencia weekend began on Friday, as he missed the direct cut into Q2 during free practice. A fuel miscalculation during the qualifying session further compounded the issue, relegating him to 16th on the grid. He managed only 14th place in the sprint race.

Reflecting on the series of setbacks, Bagnaia expressed a belief that he had been ‘attracting negativity’ during the latter part of the 2025 season. "Crashing today, having an issue yesterday [Saturday], having an issue on a Friday morning," he recounted. "Negativity is never the key, and when you start to have negative thinking, you attract it. I attract negative feelings, and it’s what happened to us, I think. Everybody was tired, and the season was quite tough for everybody – it was long. And if you’re enjoying during the season, even if it’s long, you arrive in a quite easy way in the last part. In our situation, we were reaching top three in the championship, and then not reaching [this target]. I was aiming for the top two, one or two, in the championship, and then what happened happened. Also, the team started to be tired, like me, and it’s difficult to work in that situation. I made many mistakes, like yesterday in qualifying for not being able to already be fast in the first attempt, and the team also did one [fuel miscalculation]. But it’s part of the job."

Bagnaia’s current contract with Ducati is set to expire at the end of 2026, coinciding with the introduction of MotoGP’s new 850cc engine regulations.

Despite Ducati’s overall success in the 2025 season, marked by securing all three championship titles, Bagnaia’s decline in form has raised concerns within the team and led to speculation about his long-term future with the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer. The arrival of Marc Marquez within the factory garage also heightened the competition within the team.

However, Bagnaia has affirmed his commitment to Ducati, the team with which he won the MotoGP world championships in 2022 and 2023, and finished as runner-up in 2024. "I want to continue with Ducati," he emphasized. "I started with Ducati. They gave me the possibility. They gave me the chance to win the title. I gave them the title. We improved the bike [over the years]. Now it’s a bike that everybody can use. My ambition is to finish my career with them."

Background and Context

Francesco Bagnaia entered the 2025 MotoGP season as one of the favorites. Having clinched back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, he was widely expected to continue his dominance. His 2024 season saw him finish second in the championship, demonstrating his consistency at the top level.

Ducati’s overall performance in recent years has been strong, establishing itself as the benchmark manufacturer in MotoGP. The Italian team has invested heavily in its MotoGP program, and that investment has yielded significant results, including multiple riders and team championships.

The arrival of Marc Marquez to the Ducati fold for 2025 was a major talking point. Marquez, an eight-time world champion, joined Ducati after a long and successful tenure with Honda. His presence within the team was expected to elevate its performance further but also created potential internal competition.

The GP25 motorcycle, while generally considered competitive, appeared to pose challenges for Bagnaia specifically. His comments about the bike not suiting his riding style suggest that the team was unable to fully optimize the machine to his preferences.

Looking Ahead

The upcoming Valencia test represents a crucial opportunity for Bagnaia and Ducati to address the issues that plagued their season. It will provide a chance to evaluate potential solutions and develop a clearer direction for the 2026 campaign. The test will also be significant as it marks the first opportunity for many riders to test with their new teams, including Marquez.

Bagnaia’s stated ambition to remain with Ducati for the remainder of his career signals a strong commitment to the team. However, his future success will depend on his ability to regain his confidence and competitiveness, and on Ducati’s ability to provide him with a motorcycle that aligns with his riding style.