Francesco Bagnaia has regained a positive feeling aboard the Ducati GP26 during the first day of official testing in Sepang, offering encouragement after a difficult 2025 season. Despite this progress, the Italian rider remains cautious about how the upcoming season will unfold, aware of the challenges he faced last year.
Returning to competition after nearly three months of winter break, Bagnaia immediately noticed a significant difference between his sensations now and those he experienced during the same test the previous year. This initial lap back on the Ducati GP26 marked an important milestone for the rider as he evaluated how the new machine suited his style.
Early Impressions Highlight Improvements in Cornering and Control
Bagnaia expressed optimism about the bike’s handling, especially in corner entry, which he identified as a key area of improvement compared to last season. He noted how previous limitations that hindered his performance seemed absent during these early laps, allowing him to more effectively test new components such as the latest fairing.
“From the start, I felt much better than last year. Right now, corner entry is a positive point. In 2025 I was quite fast, but the limitation I always felt isn’t there, at least not today, so that’s already progress. And thanks to that, we were able to fully concentrate on testing the new fairing and really feel any advantages or disadvantages, which was always limiting us during testing last year. So, for the moment, everything is positive.”
– Francesco Bagnaia, MotoGP Rider
He also admitted his anticipation before getting back on track was mixed with hope for a strong performance, which was fortunately realized on the first day of testing.
“Objectively, I was really looking forward to getting on the track, and I sincerely hoped that my feeling would be like this, and it’s positive.”
Reflecting on Previous Difficulties and Team’s Development Approach
Throughout the challenging 2025 season, Bagnaia struggled with a bike setup that did not fully align with his riding style. While he stopped short of placing direct blame, he suggested that some design decisions by Ducati engineers might have contributed to his limits last year.
For this new season, the GP26 appears to better match his approach, though he acknowledged it is still early to draw firm conclusions.
“It’s too early to say, but what’s certain is that I can ride, which was very difficult for me last year because I was very limited in certain areas. There was undeniably something that, given my riding style, wasn’t working optimally, but for a first contact, the bike worked well, it suits my riding style perfectly, and I don’t think that’s what Ducati was looking for here.”
– Francesco Bagnaia
He recognized the team’s intentions to optimize his conditions while also reflecting on how some of the previous year’s choices may have unintentionally conflicted with his braking and cornering preferences.
“It’s obvious they want to put me in the best possible conditions, but perhaps last year some decisions that were made went against my feeling when braking and entering corners, even if it wasn’t intentional. On the other hand, as soon as I got on this bike, I immediately felt better.”
Testing the New Fairing: Comparable Performance to Previous Setup
Bagnaia tested the updated fairing design, which attracted significant attention during last week’s Shakedown, but did not notice a clear advantage over the previous version. His lap times using the new fairing remained almost identical, signaling a balanced trade-off between potential gains and losses.
“There’s a big difference between the two fairings, so when you change something so important, there are bound to be advantages and disadvantages. I did exactly the same lap time, maybe a hundredth of a second slower, but very similar, so that’s good. For a first test, it’s good that it’s at the same level as the other one. There’s obviously still work to be done, but we have time and, above all, it’s easier to move forward with this feeling.”
– Francesco Bagnaia
This suggests the Ducati team can build upon this foundation as testing progresses and more adjustments are explored.
Outlook for Continued Testing and Season Prospects
Despite encouraging signs from the opening day, Bagnaia remains measured in his outlook, recalling how his performance on certain circuits last year, including Sepang, temporarily improved before dropping off elsewhere. The rider plans to return to the Sepang circuit for the second day of testing, continuing his evaluation of the GP26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.
Bagnaia’s ability to consistently harness the GP26’s potential across different tracks will likely be a decisive factor in his 2025 campaign, as both he and Ducati aim to translate early positives into sustained competitiveness.
