Francesco Pecco Bagnaia approaches the Catalan Grand Prix with the same nagging doubt that has accompanied him since the start of the 2025 season: his inability to rediscover his ultimate weapon: braking. The two-time Ducati world champion, long the undisputed master in this area, finds himself helpless against a Desmosedici GP25 that doesn't respond to him the way he would like.
The arrival of Marc Marquez in the box Ducati, which was supposed to push the team to new heights, turned into a nightmare for bagnaiaThe Spaniard is simply unplayable this year, with already dix GP victories and thirteen sprints won. Meanwhile, Pecco struggles to keep up and is a whopping 227 points behind his teammate.
Even second placeAlex Marquez escapes him: he is 52 lengths behind the pilot Gresini.
At the last meeting in Balaton Park, bagnaia thought he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. After trying radical changes to the set-up, he found "a good feeling" on the bike, especially in races. But the results still haven't followed.
Catalonia and Misano are two crucial stages for Pecco Bagnaia
« Compared to Lake Balaton, if you look at the positions, this was undoubtedly one of the toughest weekends of the year. After qualifying, we decided to make some significant changes to the bike, and I found a good feeling on the handlebars again, especially in Sunday's race. We will continue this momentum and work to confirm this good feeling at this circuit as well. ", said bagnaia before Barcelona.
The calendar leaves no respite: two races in two weeks, first Barcelona then Misano, at home for bagnaiaTwo pivotal meetings, where the Italian will have to prove that he can right the ship and save face against an untouchable teammate.
If he still wants to aim for the final podium, he will have to quickly regain the confidence lost under braking and reconnect with his status as triple world champion, including two titles in MotoGP. Because for the moment, the GP25 seems more tamed by the “Animal Marquez” than by the designated heir of Ducati.
