Francesco Bagnaia has acknowledged that he effectively “threw away” the 2025 MotoGP season due to ongoing challenges with his Ducati GP25, leaving him unable to contest Marc Marquez’s overwhelming dominance. The Italian rider’s difficulties this year have sharply contrasted with Marquez’s commanding performance on the factory Ducati.
From the start of the season, Marquez has been unbeatable, while Bagnaia struggled to find solutions for his bike, which hindered his ability to keep pace. Despite starting with some solid results, including podium finishes and a victory at the Americas Grand Prix, Bagnaia’s form has significantly declined since the summer break, earning just 24 points over the last four race weekends. This slide has put his third-place position in the championship at risk, notably from Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi.
Bagnaia Reflects on Losing Ground Amid Equipment Issues
The two-time MotoGP champion maintains confidence in his abilities but admits the lack of a solution for his performance problems meant the season was lost early on. Bagnaia said,
“My problem is just that I threw away a season, but there’s not much I could have done about it. The situation was difficult from the start, we never managed to find a solution, so it was inevitable that it would end like this.”
He added that Marquez’s success has not diminished his self-belief, stating,
“But, considering what I can do, [Marquez’s title] certainly doesn’t limit my performance. I’ve never had any doubts, I’m fully aware of my capabilities.”
Marc Marquez’s Exceptional 2025 Campaign
Marc Marquez has been in phenomenal form, capturing 11 Grand Prix victories and 14 sprint wins over the opening 16 race weekends. Holding a commanding 182-point lead, Marquez is closing in on his ninth world championship and seventh premier class title. With just a small points gap to bridge against his brother, Alex Marquez, in the upcoming Japanese GP round, the Spaniard is poised to seal the championship early.
Bagnaia Comments on Lack of Competition for Marquez
Bagnaia feels the 2025 championship lacked consistent challengers to Marquez, who he says was the only competitor performing at a constant, competitive level. He observed,
“I feel that this championship was the championship without any rivals for Marc, because he was the only one competitive, the only one constant.”
He admitted that even when Marquez was not at 100%, he remained unbeatable. Reflecting on his own performance, Bagnaia said,
“But I really would like to be in my best shape again, because considering the race times of this season, many times I was slower this season [than 2024], so I think we can, it would be a good fight.”
Seeking Guidance from Casey Stoner
During testing at Misano, Bagnaia found valuable support from two-time MotoGP champion Casey Stoner, who joined the Ducati team to offer insights. Bagnaia highlighted the benefits of Stoner’s fresh perspective in the garage, explaining,
“I think it’s something great, also because [the feedback] was given to the technician, to the engineers, [it is] another point of view.”
He emphasized the importance of experienced riders providing feedback beyond data analysis, acknowledging,
“He’s very sensitive in every aspect, and honestly what he was saying in the garage was what my bike was doing, and [rider coach] Manuel [Poggiali] too.”
Adding to this, Bagnaia noted,
“So I think it’s super useful if you want to listen to them, because it’s another point of view. Engineers look at the data and listen to the riders, but are not there watching, riding, so it’s a good point of view.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Outlook and Implications for Bagnaia’s Career
The struggles Bagnaia faced highlight a challenging contrast between his campaign and Marquez’s dominant year. With few solutions found during the season, Bagnaia risks losing ground not only in the current championship but also in establishing himself as a front-runner on the Ducati squad moving forward. Meanwhile, Marquez’s performance continues to set a new standard, as he pursues yet another world title with a comfortable margin.
The ongoing support from experienced figures like Casey Stoner and rider coach Manuel Poggiali may prove critical for Bagnaia’s efforts to regain competitiveness in the near future. As the season progresses toward the final races, Bagnaia’s main challenge will be overcoming the technical limitations that have hampered his 2025 MotoGP season to return to top form and maintain his status among the sport’s elite riders.
