Pecco Bagnaia experienced a worrying smoking problem with his Ducati engine during the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi last Sunday, but the Ducati team has confirmed the engine remains safe to use. The issue, linked to a faulty engine filter, did not prevent Bagnaia from securing a significant win despite the smoke.
Details Behind the Smoking Problem at Motegi
Leading comfortably throughout the Japanese Grand Prix, Bagnaia’s GP25 bike began emitting smoke from the rear, raising concerns about potential damage. The problem persisted until the race ended, but the double world champion managed to finish first without suffering engine failure. Prior to the Indonesian Grand Prix, Bagnaia revealed the source of the smoke was a malfunctioning filter inside the engine, rather than more severe mechanical damage.
He explained,
“I think they explained it to me well, but I didn’t understand it well,”
reflecting on the technical briefing he received.
“The thing is that the engine is safe. It was a little filter that wasn’t working good, so it started to smoke a bit.”
Despite how alarming the smoke looked during the race, Bagnaia confirmed that there was no danger to the engine itself.
“Luckily it wasn’t unsafe. When I saw the race back, honestly, it was quite scary.”
He added reassurance about finishing without penalty or losing engine allocation for the season:
“But luckily I finished the race and I didn’t get any penalty. It’s good that the engine is safe.”
Recent Performance Gains Fuel Optimism for Upcoming Races
Bagnaia arrives at the Indonesian Grand Prix after his strongest weekend this year, following successful changes made during testing at Misano. Ducati has kept exact modifications under wraps, but it is believed that switching to components from the GP24 model, including forks, swingarm, and ride height adjustments, restored stability and confidence in Bagnaia’s bike.
Asked about his mindset heading into Mandalika, Bagnaia highlighted the change in his approach.
“What changed the most is the approach to this weekend and the confidence on arriving to this weekend, because I know that my package now can give to me more potential, more performance,”
he said.
“So, I will try to start well again. And this makes our work easier, because we don’t need to search for anything more.”
He confirmed that Ducati will maintain the same bike setup used at Motegi when starting in Indonesia, with adaptability during the race weekend as their plan.
“But we will see after the Friday, and not really the days before trying to figure out different problems.”
Ongoing Championship Battle with Marquez Remains Intense
Currently sitting 66 points behind Alex Marquez in the fight for second place in the championship standings, Bagnaia expects a hard-fought contest in the remaining five rounds of the season.
“I will try to get the best result as possible to finish as far in front as I can,”
Bagnaia said.
“Second position is the maximum goal right now this season.”
Praising Marquez’s consistency, he acknowledged the difficulty of closing the gap.
“Alex has done a fantastic job this season. Maybe the last GP he was struggling a bit more, but I think the fight will be intense and 66 points is a lot but we will try to do our maximum.”
Looking Ahead: What This Means for Bagnaia and Ducati
The resolution of the Bagnaia Ducati engine issue following the Japanese Grand Prix represents a crucial step in safeguarding the rider’s performance for the remainder of the season. With no permanent damage detected and confidence boosted by recent upgrades, Bagnaia and Ducati are positioned to maintain competitive momentum. How the package performs in Indonesia could further influence their strategy for the final races as the battle for championship positions intensifies.
