Valentino Rossi identified Francesco Bagnaia’s problems with rear tire wear, and now the Ducati rider sees it as a real limitation.
The two-time MotoGP champion has struggled for the past 18 months and lamented the loss of feeling for the bike. 2025 was a tough season. Bagnaya He finished fifth in the last seven races with two wins and six DNFs.
In the year Things got better in 2026, with Bagnaia taking three P3 finishes in the last three Grands Prix. But he is still having problems with Desmosedici, and he agrees with that Rossi’s Analysis.
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Francesco Bagnaia agrees with Valentino Rossi that rear tire wear is a big limitation at Ducati.
Back to Austin, Rossi felt rear tire wear was Bagnaia’s ‘biggest’ problem.. He finished as high as ninth in the first five races before starting his podium run.
But despite the run of results, the 29-year-old found no joy behind the GP26. Speaking in Breno Sky ItaliaHe explained the problem, agreeing with Rossi that the issue was a big ‘limitation’ for him Ducati.
He said: “We’ve been working hard. My team has been working hard on setting up this bike to tame it. I definitely like the front end a lot better now.”
But I still have a lot of limitations in handling and power delivery; I can’t lean on the latter. Whenever I lean, they slip and lose me a lot; It makes the tires very tired. I can’t be consistent on used tires and it’s a limitation I’ve never experienced: it’s hard to know what to do differently.
“It’s definitely not a bike that rides naturally, you have to think a lot when you ride it, and it’s been like that for a year and a half, so I’m trying to adapt my riding style a lot, but if you don’t ride naturally, you struggle.”
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Francesco Bagnaia said the front of the Ducati GP26 is ‘more conventional’
Bagnaia is getting more feel from the front end of the bike, which is very useful for him in braking. He says this year’s Ducati is ‘more conventional’ on the front compared to its predecessor.
“Last year the bike resisted the ride, it was impossible to brake or enter the corner. This year, yes, the front is normal, so I can do more.
“Compared to last year, I’m trying to do everything to improve things. Two of the three podiums were slightly taken over, but still…”
The Italian hopes to continue his improved form and take the fight to Aprilia. Giacomo Agostini is backing Bagnaia as a title contender. In the year 2026
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