Pecco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP world champion, is experiencing a difficult 2025 season with his performance falling short compared to previous years, but Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali remains supportive. As Bagnaia navigates these challenges halfway through the campaign, the ongoing difficulties highlight the gap between his current form and past successes.
After securing 11 grands prix wins in 2024 and coming close to a third title, Bagnaia’s 2025 results have not followed a similar trajectory. So far, he has claimed just one victory this year, achieved at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), a win made possible after his teammate Marc Marquez crashed from the lead. Despite his efforts, Bagnaia is trailing significantly in the championship standings, 147 points behind Marquez at the season‘s midpoint.
Examining Bagnaia’s Struggles and Ducati Leadership Relationship
Bagnaia’s difficulties were apparent during the recent weekend at the Sachsenring in Germany, where he failed to score points in the wet sprint race and managed to recover from 10th on the grid to finish third in the main race, which saw multiple crashes. Throughout the 2025 season, questions have been raised about his partnership with Ducati’s top management, especially Claudio Domenicali, who was present at Sachsenring.
When asked about this relationship, Bagnaia expressed that Domenicali has been fully supportive. He explained,
“He is very [much] on my side,”
—Pecco Bagnaia, MotoGP Rider
Bagnaia further elaborated on their communication, adding,
“He’s trying always to… we speak a lot also after every race. He wants to know everything.”
—Pecco Bagnaia, MotoGP Rider
He noted that Domenicali’s engineering background leads him to engage closely with Bagnaia’s technical team, including Cristian Gabarrini and Tommy Pagano, demonstrating a hands-on approach.
The rider also recounted a recent interaction with the CEO after the sprint race, saying,
“Today after the [sprint] race, he came to me just trying to give to me some [advice]…but I really want, like him, he wants, to be fighting for the top positions again like I always did from the time I was a factory rider.”
—Pecco Bagnaia, MotoGP Rider
Current Standings and Upcoming Challenges at Czech Grand Prix
Meanwhile, Bagnaia’s team-mate Marc Marquez has dominated the 2025 season, winning seven out of eleven race weekends with the maximum 37 points each. This strong performance has positioned Marquez comfortably at the top of the championship, holding an 83-point lead going into the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.
Bagnaia currently sits in third place, trailing second-placed Alex Marquez by 64 points. Alex Marquez competes aboard the Gresini-run 2024-spec Ducati, slightly trailing the pace set by his brother Marc and the factory team.
As the season progresses, the support from Ducati’s leadership appears crucial for Bagnaia in regaining confidence and form, while the competition intensifies ahead of upcoming races such as the Brno Grand Prix. How Bagnaia and the Ducati team respond in the remaining rounds will be key to whether he can recover from his slow start and challenge once again at the front of the MotoGP field.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is MotoGP not so popular?
A. The unfortunate truth is that entertainment tends to attract more sales than sports, and MotoGP is aiming to profit from this trend. However, MotoGP currently lacks personalities who can create sufficient drama to keep the audience engaged.
Q. Why isn’t MotoGP popular?
A. Motorcycle racing isn’t as popular as football. Even with lots of marketing from Liberty Media, most people don’t feel connected to motorcycling. This might change if people had fewer entertainment choices, but that’s not the case.
Q. Is MotoGP cheaper than F1?
A. The Ministry of Youth and Sports shared that hosting a Formula One event costs four times more than organizing a MotoGP race. Additionally, MotoGP events are also less expensive than Formula E races.
Q. Has anyone won F1 and MotoGP?
A. John Surtees is known for being the sole World Champion in both motorcycling and car racing. He showed remarkable talent and courage in both sports.
