Francesco Bagnaia struggles worsened dramatically during the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika, marking a sharp contrast to his recent success at Motegi. The Ducati rider qualified 16th and finished well behind the leaders, ultimately crashing out of the race on lap nine, deepening concerns over his current form.
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi revealed the Italian manufacturer’s desire to safeguard a visibly shaken Bagnaia after a weekend filled with setbacks.
“It’s clear that Pecco is devastated right now, more as a person than as a rider,”
Tardozzi said, emphasizing the emotional toll on the two-time MotoGP champion.
“It’s clear that we want to protect Pecco and his emotions.”
From Highs at Motegi to Low Points in Mandalika
Bagnaia had looked resurgent only a week earlier when he dominated at Motegi, securing pole position and winning both races. However, Mandalika proved much tougher; the Italian struggled for pace and finished 14th in the sprint race before registering a 16th-place qualification. In the main event, his difficulties worsened, leading to a crash that ended his race prematurely.
Reflecting on the weekend, Bagnaia expressed confusion and frustration over his lack of competitiveness.
“Very disappointing weekend, after what happened last week. Pole position and winning both races. I was expecting to arrive here and… this track was never easy for me, but I always got good results,”
he explained in a statement following the event.
Despite his past success at Mandalika, including a sprint race victory and third place last season, Bagnaia said he was unable to replicate that form this year.
“I wasn’t able to find the same feeling as Motegi. I just struggled. We don’t have any answers for what happened this weekend,”
he admitted, expressing hope that the engineers would identify solutions to improve his future performances.
He also apologized for his crash:
“I want to say sorry to the team for the crash. I was pushing, even if I was slower by 1.5s, I’m saying sorry because I wanted to close the gap to the second-last and I just crashed.”
Mental and Emotional Strain on Bagnaia
Tardozzi highlighted that the rider’s psychological state is as important as his physical form during this challenging phase.
“At this moment, if Pecco came with tears in his eyes [it wouldn’t be a surprise]. It couldn’t be otherwise, because he’s a fast rider but he’s also a very sensitive guy,”
the Ducati boss said to Sky TV.
He added,
“Right now, we think it’s best to leave him alone and work to put him in a position to perform at Phillip Island,”
signaling a cautious approach to managing Bagnaia’s recovery and confidence before upcoming rounds.
Bagnaia also chose not to attend the post-race media briefing due to the crash but did release his message about the weekend’s challenges.
Ducati Team Faces Additional Setbacks at Mandalika
The Indonesian GP’s difficulties extended beyond Bagnaia’s troubles, as the Ducati team endured further misfortune when teammate Marc Marquez suffered a shoulder fracture after a collision on the first lap, caused by Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi. Marquez’s injury added to the team’s distress and underscored the severity of the weekend.
Both Bagnaia’s and Marquez’s incidents have placed pressure on Ducati as it grapples with the situation of its riders and prepares for the coming races. The team aims to regroup and respond positively as the championship continues.
Looking Toward Upcoming Races
With Bagnaia struggling to regain form and composure, Ducati’s focus will be on supporting their rider both mentally and technically in the coming weeks. Tardozzi’s remarks stress the importance of patience and careful management ahead of the Phillip Island GP.
The team’s engineers are tasked with diagnosing performance issues to restore Bagnaia’s competitiveness and help him challenge the leading riders once again. Meanwhile, the rider’s own determination to recover and fight for top positions remains a critical factor in Ducati’s championship aspirations.
