Francesco Bagnaia returned to the psychological breakthrough he had at the end of the season thanks to Valentino Rossi and his trainer Carlo Casabianca.
As we know, the 2025 season was particularly trying for Francis BagnaiaAlthough he repeatedly stated throughout the year that he had no doubt about his abilities and that he was not psychologically affected, his results tended to show the opposite before he seemed to turn a corner at the end of the season.
Despite his two victories in Japan and Malaysia, he experienced the worst Grands Prix of his career, finishing last on several occasions. Yet, he no longer seemed as affected as he had been at the beginning and middle of the season.
Behind the scenes, he had indeed begun to change his mindset, thanks to two key factors: Valentino Rossi, mentor of the VR46 academy of which he is a member and childhood hero, and Carlo Casabianca, his trainer, who also followed RossiThe two men joined forces in their advice, the most important aspect of which allowed bagnaia to cause a tipping point.
“In recent months, my two role models have been Valentino and Carlo. They’ve both been through all sorts of situations in the past. Even Vale went through some tough times, and Carlo was there for him. They told me to be happy and enjoy the present moment, because you never know.”he said on the sidelines of the official presentation of the Ducati team at Madonna di Campiglio.
“I spent four seasons at the top, and last year I didn’t achieve what I wanted. When I finished third or fourth, I was too hard on myself. Sometimes you have to focus on the positive and analyze things more closely. Even though it was difficult, I wanted to win, and I couldn’t. I just need to stay calmer and try to make the best of the situation, even in difficult moments. That’s what I’m working on.”he confided before elaborating.
“Last year, there were times when a third-place finish made me angry. When you lose sight of the value of results, you also lose your focus. For example, in Argentina, I finished fourth. It was a good result because it was the best I could do. At the end of the championship, I would have paid dearly to repeat it. It prevented me from working effectively. The balance shifts very quickly, and you have to know how to put things into perspective.”
Beyond this turning point, bagnaia took the time to give himself a real break this winter, and now continues to apply this philosophy, which he hopes to bear fruit this season.
“You have to try to look on the bright side. My vacation with my wife allowed me to recharge, and upon my return, I immediately resumed training in the gym and analyzed the situation. Compared to other years, I tried to disconnect a bit more and take more time to reflect on myself. I was coming off a challenging 2025 season and wasn't used to pushing myself so hard. It was important to analyze everything and understand how to improve.”, he added.
