At the Indonesian Grand Prix in Mandalika, Francesco Bagnaia experienced a startling setback during the MotoGP sprint race, a sharp contrast to his dominant performance just one week earlier in Motegi. The Italian rider, who had shown promise of ending the 2025 season strong, was unable to match his previous form, struggling with both his bike and race conditions in Indonesia. This sudden dip quietly shocked fans and prompted intense scrutiny within the Ducati camp.
Bagnaia’s Struggles Linked to Tire and Brake Challenges
Bagnaia entered the weekend hopeful after rallying confidence from his near-flawless displays in Japan, but trouble surfaced early when he failed to progress beyond Q1 qualifying, settling for the 16th spot on the starting grid. The transition to new Michelin rear tires and the forced removal of Ducati’s preferred 355mm brake discs created unexpected handling issues that the team could not immediately solve. During the sprint race, Bagnaia’s pace was significantly off the pace, and he found himself trailing far behind the front runners.
Despite a few improvements driven by incidents ahead, Bagnaia ended in 14th place, a staggering 29 seconds behind the winner Marco Bezzecchi. This dramatic reversal in performance visibly unsettled the Ducati star, who reflected on the situation with mixed emotions.
Firm Words from Bagnaia About the Uncontrollable Problems
Displaying his characteristic resolve, Bagnaia insisted,
“What happened today is something outside of my control. I gave it my all, as I always do.”
He openly described the erratic behavior of his bike, noting the difficulty with grip and braking.
“I had uncontrollable movements on the bike. I often had to ease off the throttle, and there were times I was without brakes… It’s dangerous to ride like that, but we are used to these situations.”
His frustration was clear as he added,
“What happened today is, for me, unacceptable. I will go to the box and talk, but we will see.”
Rejecting any notion that Michelin tires were at fault, Bagnaia pointed to Ducati’s internal issues as the cause of the performance drop.
“Something happened. Just a week ago, I was winning the Motegi sprint by two seconds and setting records in qualifying. Now, I’ve done what I’ve done here. It’s not possible.”
Questions Loom on Bagnaia’s Sudden Performance Collapse
The bewildering shift from a record-setting winner to a struggling competitor within days raised many questions across the paddock. Bagnaia himself admitted confusion over the decline, urging for explanations from his team.
“I can’t explain it. I want someone to explain it to me too.”
Backing his words with data, he noted a significant lap time discrepancy, stating,
“They have the data. I don’t know what happened. Today, my best lap was 1:31.7, which is two seconds slower than the leaders. It’s strange.”
Looking Ahead: Uncertainty Clouds Bagnaia’s Next Moves
As Bagnaia prepares for upcoming races, his outlook remains tense and unresolved, emphasizing that the current issues lie beyond his personal control.
“As I said, it’s something beyond my control,”
he concluded, highlighting the urgent need for resolution from Ducati’s engineers and decision-makers. The outcome of this internal investigation could significantly influence the trajectory of the season, determining whether Bagnaia returns to form or continues to grapple with unexplained setbacks. The wider MotoGP community watches attentively, awaiting answers to this perplexing challenge facing one of the sport’s leading talents.
