Pecco Bagnaia is facing confusion and difficulty following his poor performance at the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix, despite dominating the Japanese Grand Prix just a week earlier. Ducati has yet to uncover the reasons behind the sudden downturn, leaving the team and rider searching for answers amidst this unexplained MotoGP struggle.
Sharp Contrast Between Japanese Success and Indonesian Struggles
At the Japanese Grand Prix held in Motegi, Bagnaia showed a strong return to form by winning both the sprint and main races, riding what appeared to be upgraded 2024-spec parts on his bike. This performance marked his first true highlight of the 2025 season, reigniting his confidence. However, Ducati has not confirmed rumors from VR46 suggesting that Bagnaia’s sudden improvement came after testing Franco Morbidelli’s GP24 machine at Misano.
In stark contrast, the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika proved disastrous for Bagnaia, where he was nearly 30 seconds behind the winner in the sprint and struggled throughout the weekend. During Sunday’s race, he remained at the back of the field and eventually crashed on lap eight out of 27, while lapping roughly two seconds slower than the victorious Fermin Aldeguer riding a 2024-spec Ducati for Gresini.
Uncertain Explanations and Team Responses
After the crash, Bagnaia avoided media interactions, with Ducati attributing this to his accident but offering no additional elaboration. A brief statement from the rider expressed his frustration over the weekend’s events. He acknowledged the difficulty of the circuit, noting it had previously brought him good results, including a sprint race win and a third-place finish last year, but this time he simply could not replicate his Motegi form.
Bagnaia admitted the team lacks clarity on the cause of his struggles and emphasized reliance on engineers to analyze data and develop solutions for upcoming races. He remains hopeful about fighting back for a spot within the championship’s top three positions.
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.
— Pecco Bagnaia, Rider
Ducati’s Team Challenges Worsen Amid Recent Setbacks
Bagnaia’s problems compounded a difficult day for Ducati’s factory squad, which also saw world champion Marc Marquez suffer a collarbone injury when involved in a crash with Marco Bezzecchi at the race’s start. These incidents unfolded shortly after Ducati celebrated clinching the teams’ championship title, underscoring a tense and challenging moment for the outfit.
Outlook for Ducati and Bagnaia Moving Forward
The unexplained drop in performance at Mandalika raises concerns for Ducati and Bagnaia’s campaign as they search for solutions to regain competitiveness. With racers like Fermin Aldeguer emerging strong on the updated 2024-spec machinery, the pressure mounts on engineers and the team to resolve issues before the next rounds. Bagnaia’s MotoGP struggle highlights the unpredictable nature of the sport and the critical importance of continuous development and adaptation.
