Francesco Bagnaia entered the 2025 season opener in Thailand with mixed feelings after earning two third-place finishes, results that he later described as “like a miracle” given his year’s struggles. Throughout the first half of the season, the double MotoGP champion secured ten podiums, including a win at COTA and a second-place finish in Qatar, despite grappling with confidence issues on the GP25 machine during corner entry.
However, the season’s second half brought dramatic swings in performance, as Bagnaia clinched three victories but also experienced 13 races without scoring any points. This inconsistency marked a difficult period that contrasted sharply with his early success.
Encouraging Signs from Pre-Season Testing Ahead of 2026
Testing the Ducati GP26 at Buriram has shown a more stable Bagnaia, who clocked the fourth fastest lap and demonstrated strong Sprint simulation pace, only outperformed by Ai Ogura of Trackhouse Aprilia. This has raised hopes for a more balanced and competitive approach in 2026.
I’m looking forward. The test went well. We had time to test everything and with a good potential,
Bagnaia said before the season began, according to GPone.com.
Much more prepared than last year.
Reflecting on his previous third-place results at Buriram, he acknowledged,
But let’s see, because last year I finished third here. And in the last part of the season, to finish third was like a miracle. So I need to try to work well and be ready to fight for it.
Adapting a New Mental Approach for the Upcoming Season
Bagnaia’s experience last season, which ended with him in fifth place overall, has led him to adopt a calmer, more focused mental approach this year. He shared that while some adaptations are possible, others are out of his control, so embracing a better mindset is key to lasting improvement.
So remaining more calm, working better, with a better mentality, and just try to enjoy every result as the best you can – so this will be the mindset.
Technical Adjustments and Focus for 2026 Goals
From a technical standpoint, Bagnaia feels he has reached most of what the Ducati GP26 can currently offer. However, he believes improvements are still possible within certain race weekend details that he intends to address.
I think I still have some margin, some areas that during the weekend I would like to work on. But right now, I don’t have much more to ask from the bike.
He has also broadened his riding techniques beyond his traditional strength in braking, noting,
Now everyone’s braking super hard, so I’m starting to use other areas that are competitive with our bike,
showing his adaptation to the evolving competition.
Aiming to Make Podiums the Norm in 2026
Looking forward, Bagnaia is determined to transform podium results from rare accomplishments into regular achievements. With the full support of Ducati’s factory team and the best equipment at his disposal, his target is clear.
I’m in the factory Ducati team, so best bike, and the results need to be top three every next weekend. The objective is that one, but I just want to start with calm and try to improve myself.
His resolve to maintain steady progress while chasing consistent top finishes reflects both hope and determination as the new MotoGP season approaches.
