The 2025 season will leave deep scars in the Ducati camp. For Francesco Pecco Bagnaia, two-time MotoGP world champion under the red label, it marks a brutal turning point: that of a domination that is crumbling and a suddenly uncertain future.
The Italian, a symbol of Borgo Panigale's methodical success, has endured a nightmarish year at the handlebars of the Desmosedici. GP25, a motorcycle he never managed to tame — while his new teammate, Marc Marquezsimply crushed it.
Nothing foreshadowed such a collapse. The GP25 However, it is only an evolution of the GP24, but for bagnaiaThe few technical adjustments were enough to break the bond of trust between the pilot and his machine.
His senses disappeared, his bearings vanished. And his repeated requests for adjustments eventually strained his relationship with the technical management. DucatiTrue to its centralized engineering philosophy, it rarely yielded to the whims of its pilots — and bagnaia was no exception to the rule.
The contrast with Marquez was all the more violent because the Spanish driver, with his aggressive and instinctive style, had tamed the GP25 with disconcerting ease. Crowned champion in Motegi, number 93 stole the show from the reigning champion.
Officially, Ducati maintains its confidence. Unofficially, an ultimatum is issued. The red team demands bagnaia It needs to reinvent itself — and quickly. Without convincing results in the first half of 2026, the renewal of its contract beyond 2026 could be jeopardized.
The 2026 transfer market promises to be electrifying, and the post-season trials at Valencia could already trigger the first domino effect.
Rumors of a transfer to Yamaha The ideas, dismissed at the beginning of the year, seemed far-fetched at the time. Today, they appear prophetic: Pecco bagnaia might be tempted to look elsewhere for a more malleable environment.
Aprilia, the ideal exit for Pecco Bagnaia?
Si Aprilia were to lose Jorge Martinwhose relationship with the brand remains fragile after a contractual dispute and a long injury, the place would be ideal for relaunching bagnaia.
Massimo rivola has never hidden his admiration for the Turin driver. And in a paddock where loyalty is worth less than tenths of a lap gained, a rapprochement between bagnaia et Aprilia There is nothing improbable about it.
Journalist Simon Patterson aptly summarizes the current logic:
« I think Aprilia's bike is now competitive enough that, if they can't keep Jorge Martin, they go and get a Pecco Bagnaia or a Fabio Quartararo »
Such an opportunity would make sense. bagnaia would join a rising Italian team, equipped with a competitive motorcycle — sometimes even faster than the Ducati on certain circuits in 2025. And above all, it would find a more flexible structure, capable of adapting the machine to its riding rather than the other way around.
Ducati has won all the titles this season: drivers, constructors, and teams. But the triumphant facade hides cracks. The contrast between the collective success and the individual defeat of bagnaia highlights the brutality of the system Ducati : ruthless, efficient, but not very empathetic.
Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi et Aprilia continue to gain ground. The RS-GP25 rider was one of the few to cause concern. Marquez This year, stringing together podium finishes and solid performances.
If the trend continues in 2026, and if bagnaia fails to turn things around on the GP26, Aprilia could become his refuge… and his renewal.
The new regulations MotoGP 2027 would reshuffle the cards again, but for bagnaiaThe message is clear: the time for certainty is over. DucatiThe era of solitary domination now belongs to MarquezAnd for “Pecco”, the time has come to choose between clinging to his red past — or writing a new chapter elsewhere.
