Buriram, February 22, 2026 – Pecco Bagnaia is showing encouraging improvement with the 2026 Ducati Desmosedici following a challenging previous season. After overcoming last year’s difficulties, the Italian rider is building momentum in preseason testing, positioning himself to contend for victories as the new MotoGP season approaches in Thailand. However, he remains cautious about Aprilia, whose RS-GP package continues to advance and present a serious threat on the grid.
At the recent two-day Buriram test, Bagnaia recorded consistently strong laps, finishing just fractions behind Marco Bezzecchi—who set the track record—and narrowly trailing his teammate Marc Marquez. These results mark a clear turnaround from 2025, when Ducati’s bike struggled with instability under braking, negatively impacting Pecco’s performance.
Bagnaia Expresses Satisfaction with Improved Bike Feel but Stresses Need for Vigilance
Bagnaia openly shared his satisfaction with how things are progressing during the preseason.
“I’m happy with the feeling I had in these tests,”
he stated. He acknowledged that while the 2026 machine hasn’t yet matched the peak confidence he had on the 2024 bike, notable progress has been made since the difficult 2025 campaign when Ducati’s bike was too nervous when braking.
“The preseason went much better than last year, and the feeling is great. We’ve done a solid job, and now it’s about fighting from the first race,”
Bagnaia added, indicating readiness to compete at the front of the pack. The Buriram tests held particular significance because Bagnaia previously faced challenges there, unlike Sepang where he had a stronger baseline from last season.
“It was a much more important test. The time attack went well, even if I didn’t have a fantastic lap, so I’m happy,”
Bagnaia commented. The winter testing allowed him to both refine the bike’s setup to better suit his riding style and adjust his own approach to extract improved performance from the Desmosedici.
“The bike is different and works better for my riding style. Then we worked on the riding style to understand it better, and we made progress. There’s not much time left, but we’ll try to close the gap ahead of the first race,”
he explained.
April’s Rapid Advances Pose a Strong Rivalry as the Season Begins
The upcoming season promises intense competition, particularly between Ducati and Aprilia. Bagnaia emphasized this growing rivalry, noting Aprilia’s consistent improvement with their RS-GP machine.
“Usually you can tell something from the first races, but the numbers seem clear with Ducati and Aprilia leading the way. Today Aprilia had a strong pace, so they’ve improved further,”
he observed.
This dynamic sets the stage for an exciting battle between the two manufacturers, with Ducati’s noale base and Aprilia’s Borgo Panigale facility pushing technical boundaries as the season starts in Thailand next weekend. While Bagnaia is preparing for what could be his final year riding for Ducati before his anticipated move to Aprilia and the arrival of Pedro Acosta, the immediate focus remains firmly on the upcoming races.
Next steps for Bagnaia will include capitalizing on the improved bike performance during the opening rounds, aiming to convert preseason promise into race wins, all while monitoring Aprilia’s pace closely as the season unfolds.
