Ducati had one of its worst performances at the 2026 Thai Grand Prix since 2021 in a MotoGP race weekend. However, former team boss Francesco Guidotti believes Peco Bagnaia has helped the Italian constructor achieve the ‘big goal’ they were hoping for this year.
The most frightening statistics from Ducati The 2026 season opener marks the Borgo Panigale-based constructor’s 88-race losing streak.
The record was Back in 2021, all six riders in the Ducati stall failed to finish in the top three at Buriram due to Aprilia’s dominance of the circuit.
Are people making too much of the Ducati’s lack of performance in one lap?
Marc Marquez was the lead rider for the Bologna Bullets. Before the tire burst, Fabio di Gianntonio inherited the title as Ducati’s best finisher after finishing sixth in the Grand Prix.
Francesco Bagnaia He finished P9 in both races in Thailand, and although Ducati was far from where his factory riders were expected to finish, Francesco Guidotti reckons he has helped the team move closer to their ambitious target ahead of the 2026 season.
Francesco Guidotti identifies Francesco Bagnaia as ‘the only question mark’ at Ducati
During the interview with Speed ​​week During the three-week break between the season opener and the second round in Brazil, the former MotoGP team boss reflected on Ducati’s poor start to 2026.
Emphasizing that the Borgo Panigale-backed riders’ results in Thailand were far from disastrous, he began: “Of course the Thai GP looks like a big risk for Ducati – but compared to the past, the season is unparalleled.”
“To be honest, a result like the Thai GP is normal, and not a Ducati drama from my point of view.”
Then he entered the title of two-time world champion, choosing as “the only question mark” in the ranks of Ducati.
Prove me wrong: Francesco Bagnaia deserves another chance at Ducati in 2027.
He continued: “To be honest, the only question mark for me in the Ducati camp is Peco. He showed in the winter test that he can match the speed of the other Ducati riders, but in the race, he couldn’t show that for no reason.”
“But overall he did a good job. You can’t say much after a Grand Prix, but the main goal was to make all the Ducati riders faster together and they came close to that goal.
“But they may have lost time elsewhere in the winter. I don’t see a big problem for Ducati.”
The Thai Grand Prix was Francesco Bagnaia’s worst start to a season since 2022.
The Italian rider’s ninth-place finish at the Bagnaia double in Thailand marked his worst result in a MotoGP season opener since he won his first title since 2022.
The factory Ducati man collided with George Martin on lap 11 of that year’s Grand Prix and struggled to produce some solid results before regaining form in the second half of the race.
Former MotoGP team boss Livio Suppo thinks so Bagnaia still needs to ensure his title-winning campaigns are focused on his talent. than most flagship bikes that Ducati has produced in recent years.
Bagnaia’s performances are likely to focus on this year’s MotoGP, rather than switching to Aprilia machinery for 2027.
Receive competition news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
