Francesco Bagnaia should be judged on 2025 form rather than Ducati peak, says Carlos Checa. Despite scoring just 15 points, Bagnaia had his best weekend of the season in the United States.
The Italian was eyeing his first win of 2026 during the Sprint race, only to be overtaken by long-time rival Jorge Martin in the final lap. Still, second place finally gave him something to build on.
At the beginning of the main competition Bagnaya He battled with his teammate Marc Marquez, leading in qualifying, but falling in the final stages. Another final lap pass, this time from Honda’s Luca Marini dropped to 10th.
Francesco Bagnaia is now an inconsistent rider, says Carlos Checa.
Bagnaya is guilty of rear wheel wear For the repetition at the end of the race, a known problem last season. Still, Checa said it was a ‘positive’ weekend by the Ducati rider’s post-2024 standards.
Between the start of 2022 and the end of 2024, Bagnaia won 25 of his 59 Grands Prix starts – an impressive win rate of 42.4 per cent. Since then, he has won just two of 25, or eight percent.
To make matters worse, Bagnaia hasn’t even scored consecutive podiums since Assen and Sachsenring last summer. With Ducati falling back from their top spot, they now sit fourth out of six riders.
Is Francesco Bagnaia a MotoGP legend?
Checa told DAZN, via Motosan: “I think he did well, he started very decisively, he had a good start, he got into the best position, he looked for the best position, then I think the tires or the fuel consumption dropped, I think the former was more and they started to lose positions.”
“The year that passed last year, looking at yesterday’s weekend, I would rate it very well, remembering that we are talking about last year’s Peco Bagnaia.
“Obviously, if we’re talking about Peco Bagnaia leading the world championship, yes, he’s far from Peco before, and now, this time, there’s a big gap.
“And yes, that inconsistency, that inconsistency, is a problem from last year and it still contributes to it today.”
Did you make a mistake by signing the Aprilia Peco Bagna?
Maybe Aprilia should heed the Cheka’s warning that Bagnaia is no longer the same rider.
Bagnaia’s signing of the Aprilia contract was revealed in Austin over the weekend. It’s a four-year contract, but only the first two seasons are guaranteed.
It is not clear what came first – Aprilia for Bagnaya or George Martin’s move to Yamaha. In any case, Massimo Rivola caused an accident with a driver who lost his way.
The hope is that the change of scenery and equipment will motivate Bagnaya to find his best form.
If not, that critical narrative Bagnaia titles have come down to Ducati bikes It keeps spreading.
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