Francesco Bagnaia's 2025 season? It belongs in the "industrial disaster" category. The Desmosedici GP25 was supposed to be an evolution. It became a puzzle. Despite minimal differences from the GP24, the bike took a step backward. And apart from Marc Marquez, who was able to work around its shortcomings, no one found the solution.
For bagnaiaThe verdict was brutal: weakened braking, vague corner entry, a total loss of feel. Only two victories. A season of doubt.
He publicly demanded an explanation. The team, meanwhile, was watching the lap times of Marquez…and didn't understand.
At the end of the year, bagnaia brought out pieces of GP24Result: victory at MotegiA break in the cloud.
For 2026, Ducati The decision has been made: back to basics. The GP26 would be a hybrid, combining the “wonderful GP24” and the lessons learned from 2025.
In Sepang, Marquez was even spotted testing an aerodynamic configuration inspired by 2024. The message is clear: they are correcting their course.
Mat Oxley on Bagnaia's 2025 season with Ducati: “Unacceptable… and “necessarily a lie”"
Journalist Mat Oxley, in MotorSport MagazineHe doesn't mince words. He considers it "unacceptable" that Ducati persisted with the GP25, which would have “reduced half of their factory box to ashes".
And above all, he points to the official explanation: the ride-height device. Ducati would have suggested that the problems of bagnaia came from there.
Oxley is categorical: Ducati "must have liedWhy? Because this device could have been replaced during the season. The engine itself was fixed by regulations. But not the ride height correction system.
According to him, this version avoided fueling rumors of internal tensions between bagnaia and some technical staff. A way to contain the fire.
À SepangThe tone changes. bagnaia He “confirmed” the improvement in braking. He speaks of a better feeling entering corners. More confidence. More naturalness. His race simulation in Malaysia was even faster than that of MarquezA detail that matters psychologically. The Italian rider finally seems to have reconnected with his motorcycle.
And now what? What about a future contract? The question goes beyond the technical. Ducati must decide: extend bagnaia… or turn the page?
Rumors of a possible departure towards Yamaha They are swelling. If Borgo Panigale hesitates, others are ready to bet on a two-time world champion seeking revenge.
bagnaia The stakes are high in 2026. If the GP26 confirms its resurgence, the narrative will change: 2025 will no longer be a fall, but an anomaly. Otherwise, the rift could become irreversible. And in this paddock where everything moves at breakneck speed, a single season is sometimes enough to reshape a career.
