Francesco Bagnaia MotoGP comeback began promisingly at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi, where the Ducati rider delivered a notable performance in the first free practice session on Friday. After a poor showing at the San Marino Grand Prix two weeks earlier, Bagnaia led the session by about a tenth of a second ahead of the 2024 champion Jorge Martin and his teammate Marc Marquez, signaling a fresh resurgence.
Competitive Performance Amidst Intense Field
Though Bagnaia dropped to seventh by the end of the hour-long session, his lap times remained tightly packed, just 0.346 seconds off the fastest pace. Marc Marquez, in third, was only two tenths behind Bagnaia. The top spot was eventually claimed by Marco Bezzecchi from Aprilia, with Pedro Acosta on a KTM securing second place. Given Bagnaia’s struggles earlier in the season, including being almost six tenths slower at the San Marino weekend and finishing well outside the top 20 in Barcelona practice, this performance marked a notable turnaround for the two-time MotoGP champion.
Bagnaia Reflects on Practice Challenges and Improvements
Bagnaia expressed satisfaction with Friday’s sessions despite some difficulties. He said,
“It was a good Friday. We cannot hide the performance of this morning, I was super happy with everything.”
He noted initial issues running the hard front tire due to rapid degradation but felt better later in the session using medium tires. Although technical problems cost him 15 minutes early on, Bagnaia sustained confidence while experimenting with his braking to push limits.
The only mistake I think I did today was the second lap of the time attack, where I went wrong in corner seven and I lost a bit. But it’s nothing that bad, so I’m quite confident and happy.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Team Management’s Renewed Confidence in Bagnaia
Bagnaia’s recent dip in form had caused concern at Ducati, with general manager Gigi Dall’Igna publicly acknowledging the team’s impatience during Misano. However, the strong start in Japan has sparked new optimism. Ducati team principal Davide Tardozzi commented,
For sure, I really think so [he is back]. Now we found the way, he can be in the positions he deserves.
This sentiment underlined the progress the Italian rider has made in regaining his competitive edge.
Misano Test: A Turning Point for Bagnaia’s Development
The key to Bagnaia’s revival seems to trace back to the Misano test, where he made significant headway with the GP25 bike. Prior in-season testing efforts, including sessions in Thailand, Jerez, and Aragon, had offered limited improvements. Bagnaia shared,
Thailand, it was honestly a useless test for me, I was very slow and I never had the chance to test like anything. Then it was the Jerez test, then in Aragon it was a bit better, but the first true test was the one in Misano, so I was able to test different things.
Ducati’s strategy didn’t involve introducing new parts at Misano but rather allowed Bagnaia to evaluate components he hadn’t fully explored earlier. He elaborated,
We tested different things in Misano, different things that we already had, but we never had the chance to really try this season, so I was just feeling a bit better. And Misano is a track with a lot of grip, so the difference [between different parts] was a bit lower. On this track, the grip is good, but not as desired, so it’s good.
When asked if his equipment now matches that of Marquez, Bagnaia responded simply, “Not everything,” indicating subtle technical variations remain.
Ducati Emphasizes Importance of Dedicated Testing Sessions
Ducati credits the Misano test with helping solve some of Bagnaia’s ongoing challenges. Tardozzi explained the unique value of extended dedicated testing, saying,
Testing the bike for one long day like in Misano, it helped us to find solutions and to test solutions – something that you cannot do during the race weekend. As our opponents grow up, because they have more testing days than us, just one day gave us the opportunity to think about the right [way forward].
Support from Former Champion Casey Stoner
Bagnaia’s progress was also boosted by input from two-time world champion Casey Stoner during the Misano test. Stoner provided insights from an external viewpoint on Bagnaia’s riding style and the GP25’s handling. This influence was important as Bagnaia’s issues are believed to stem more from confidence gaps than pure mechanical faults. Tardozzi acknowledged Bagnaia’s own agency in the solution process:
He talked with Pecco, but I guess the way belongs more to Gigi and Pecco.
Saturday’s Sprint Will Test Bagnaia’s True Recovery
While Bagnaia’s Friday pace is encouraging, the upcoming sprint race on Saturday remains a crucial challenge, as it has traditionally been a weaker event for him. Earlier improvements seen after the Aragon test and a setup change in the Hungarian Grand Prix eventually proved temporary. Bagnaia and Ducati will be closely watching his performance as the season progresses to determine if this MotoGP comeback is sustainable.
