Two-time MotoGP world champion Pecco Bagnaia is having a challenging 2025 season with the Ducati Desmosedici GP25, contrasting with the dominance of his teammate Marc Marquez (171 points, leader). In an interview, Ducati Lenovo team manager Davide Tardozzi deciphers Bagnaia's technical and psychological challenges, while defending the GP25 and the relationship between its riders.
The 2025 season of Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia, two-time MotoGP world champion, is not going as planned. While Marc Marquez distinguished himself with the Ducati GP25 by regaining the lead in the championnat, bagnaia struggles to regain his form, having won only one race out of twelve contested - and only after a fall by Marc Marquez in Texas.
The Italian driver clearly expresses his discomfort with the new Desmosedici: " I've been repeating myself since the beginning of the season. I can't feel the front tire this year. As soon as I brake hard going into corners, I feel like the front wheel is going to slip. It limits me enormously.. » And he adds: « Marc Marquez could ride a tractor and be competitive. I need a certain feeling with the bike. »
Faced with these difficulties, many fans are asking themselves: why bagnaia Doesn't it come back to the Ducati 2024, used by riders like Alex Maquez ou Fermin Aldeguer ? Davide Tardozzi, team manager of the official team Ducati, gave a clear answer in an interview with speedweek : " Pecco could use everything from the 2024 bike… except the engine and aerodynamics. »
He specifies : " the regulation requires that only one engine specification be approved per season for non-dealer manufacturersOnce validated, it can no longer be modified. »
In other words, the GP25 base is frozen until the end of 2026, Ducati having had to approve its engine before February 27. A crucial choice, since Development is now frozen until the new rules of 2027.
According to bagnaia, the difference between the GP24 and the GP25 is drastic. However, Tardozzi nuance: " The GP25 is a small evolution of the GP24. We think it's betterBut this year the overall level has risen so much that Pecco has not yet been able to keep up.. He has always been the best at braking and corner entry. We miss this Pecco »
« Pecco Bagnaia's statements, like those of some Ducati executives, are beginning to reach offensive limits. »
The team is therefore actively working to restore his confidence and feeling, particularly in the critical braking zones where he excelled. And the pressure linked to Marc Marquez ? Some observers suggest that the dominant presence of Marc Marquez in the same garage is mentally destabilizing bagnaia. Tardozzi dismisses this hypothesis: " No, absolutely not. I'd bet my hands on it. He never talks about Marc. On the contrary, They get along well, shake hands, discuss settings. »
Bagnaia is going through a complicated period, but the team Ducati maintains his confidence in his champion: “ He still has to put everything together in his head, and if he succeeds, he will fight with Marc. We are absolutely convinced of this. »
The internal Ducati duel between Pecco Bagnaia et Marc Marquez will only take place if bagnaia manages to regain the formidable driver he has been for the past four years. And it won't be so simple if we judge by Ricard Jové's assessment of motosan : " we are currently living a very difficult period for Pecco Bagnaia, who has hit rock bottom. And we will see if he will manage to get out of trouble ».
And he concludes: At Ducati, they're already starting to lose a little respect for him. But I sympathize with Pecco. Because he has to digest the fact that Marc Marquez is in front of him, that he killed all his teammates. And that takes time to digestWe are going through a time when we no longer have a feeling for the bike. And now Pecco's statements, like those of some Ducati executives, are beginning to reach offensive limits and could further strain relationships within the box. So this is a crucial moment for this team ". To be continued …
