Francesco Bagnaia’s 2025 MotoGP season went from bad to worse as he struggled to get anything out of the GP25.
The Italian had high hopes coming into 2025, still dealing with the frustration from the previous year. He had won more than half the races in 2024 but still missed out on the title by just 10 points to Jorge Martin.
With Martin switching over to Aprilia, Bagnaia saw an opening to reclaim his place at the top and chase a third championship. But early on, it was clear this wouldn’t be a straightforward path, especially with Marc Marquez now across from him in the Ducati garage.
But his biggest problem came down to the bike itself. Bagnaia couldn’t get comfortable with the GP25, struggling particularly under braking and when turning into corners.
While Marquez took 25 wins and cruised to the title, Bagnaia managed just two victories and finished fifth overall. He had issues with ride height throughout the season, but also admitted that some of his struggles were down to mistakes he made himself.
Bagnaia admits he should have appreciated his early 2025 results more
Bagnaia acknowledges he could have done more to adapt to the GP25, and speaking on the BENZINE // Cosimo Curatola YouTube channel, he also reflected on his attitude early in the season.
While he wasn’t in the title fight, Bagnaia still had a solid start, picking up seven podiums in the first 11 races, including a win in Austin. But after the summer break, his form dropped off sharply, with five retirements in the final six rounds.
“But then last year was a very difficult season in many ways,” said Bagnaia. “Definitely at the beginning I made a big mistake by not being happy with certain results that in the end didn’t even come.
“So I was in a lot of trouble on a technical level in terms of riding. I couldn’t use my riding style to go fast, I had to try to adapt to a bike that still caused me a lot of difficulty and it was complicated, perhaps to accept this.”
Bagnaia’s comments reflect what teammate Marquez has been saying about MotoGP development for some time – that modern bikes are becoming less reliant on individual rider styles and more about adapting to standardised technology like ride height devices.
The silver lining for Bagnaia is that these challenges seem to have helped him learn and grow as a rider.
Francesco Bagnaia feeling much more positive about 2026 after learning from 2025 struggles
At the end of the season, he spoke with Ducati and admitted that it wasn’t just the bike that was holding him back – he recognised his own role in how things played out. After a tough year, he’s been working hard to turn things around for 2026, hoping for a fresh start.
“But then last year was a very difficult season in many ways,” said Bagnaia. “Definitely at the beginning I made a big mistake by not being happy with certain results that in the end didn’t even come.
Bagnaia’s issue with the GP25 stemmed from its design favouring Marquez’s style over his own. But he didn’t push back early enough, allowing those differences to linger until they became clear on track.
With Ducati appearing to have made significant improvements to address rider feedback for 2026, there is optimism within Bagnaia’s camp that he can return to form. The new bike has reportedly addressed some of his biggest complaints from last year, particularly around braking stability and corner entry.
This time around, Bagnaia is determined not to let external factors dictate his approach. He knows what needs adjusting and seems more confident in both himself and his team’s ability to deliver.
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