Francesco Bagnaia said that his bike was not the Ducati that dominated the MotoGP

The Italian finished a lap earlier on the podium at Jerez, but failed to score at Le Mans after a sprint crash and 16th place in the wet. He would suffer eight more DNFs before the season ended.

Francesco Bagnaia lifts the lid on Ducati’s ‘nerve’ bike

to speak Sky Italy On Thursday, Bagnaia said Ducati had solved the lack of front feel that plagued it throughout the 2025 season, but results haven’t improved much.

Bagnaia scored podiums in the USA and Spain Sprints, but his Grand Prix record so far reads P9, DNF, P10, DNF. A technical problem caused him to retire for the last time, but the bigger issue is that the bike’s DNA has changed.

Ducati on worst run in 12 years – dynasty falling?

When the Italian fought for and won world championships, he was able to attack the corners, but that is not possible ‘anymore’.

Still, Bagnaya said he comes to every event with a sense of hope.

“It’s a very difficult time for this. Ducati Overall, it’s definitely not working as well as we expected,” he said.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been in this situation for over a year, so I’m struggling a bit, and strangely because I feel better on the bike this year, I feel more, especially at the front, but I still can’t do what I want.

“We have a very aggressive bike in braking. You can see it in the crash I had in Jerez (in practice). You have to be very precise because it requires a lot of movement and it’s not a Ducati where you brake very hard, come in hard and stay there.

“Just like Alex Marquez was able to make it work in Jerez, he was able to do that.

“So it’s a complicated time, but as I’ve said more than once, I’m a romantic, and to be honest, I’ve always believed in reaching a Grand Prix and coming out in front. I’ve always believed in that, I know we have the potential to stay in front, and we just need to find the right balance.

Should Pecco Bagnaia be secretly happy about Ducati’s failure?

The consensus is that after years of dominating MotoGP, Ducati has now been overtaken by Aprilia. Alex Marquez may have won the Spanish GP at Gresini but the ranking is clear.

Marco Bezecchi and Jorge Martin are one-two in the riders’ championship and already lead the teams’ standings with 89 points from satellite team Trackhouse.

Bagnaya is joining Aprilia. The move will be confirmed when the sport’s new commercial deal is finalized at the end of the year.

While his farewell to Ducati may be difficult, Borgo seems to be leaving Panigale at the right time, even if the rule changes could disrupt the current pecking order.