Marc Marquez’s MotoGP dominance in the 2025 season has sparked scrutiny over the advice Pecco Bagnaia received from Valentino Rossi’s inner circle, according to Paolo Simoncelli, owner of the SIC58 Moto3 team. After a successful run, Bagnaia faltered as Marquez claimed his seventh world championship, a shift Simoncelli connects to guidance from the VR46 group.
Falling From the Top: Bagnaia’s Decline After Title Success
Bagnaia, riding for the factory Ducati team, previously secured consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023, and narrowly missed a third in 2024 after winning 11 grands prix. However, the 2025 campaign saw Bagnaia manage just two victories, marking an unusually inconsistent season. He ultimately finished fifth in the standings, overshadowed by Marquez, who swept to the title with 11 race wins and 14 sprint victories aboard the same machinery.
Mental Pressures and the Challenge of Marquez
The Italian rider’s struggle to come to terms with the GP25 motorcycle led to speculation about the effects of joining forces with a high-profile teammate like Marquez. Some observers pointed to mental strain as a factor, but both Bagnaia and Ducati continued to deny any internal turmoil as the cause of his underperformance.
Simoncelli Blames VR46 Group for Misjudgment
Offering his perspective in an interview with Corriere della Sera, Simoncelli emphasized that internal advice from Rossi’s circle may have caused Bagnaia to misjudge Marquez’s threat. He remarked:
He wasn’t prepared for such a strong team-mate,
Simoncelli, father of the late Marco Simoncelli, said.
Simoncelli elaborated that Bagnaia’s previous expectations, built within the VR46 group, could have lulled him into underestimating his new teammate:
He thought: ‘All I have to do is crash less’. But Marc is a beast on the track, and that threw him into a crisis.
– Paolo Simoncelli
Ongoing Rivalries and Reflections on Marquez’s Grit
The tension reportedly intensified in 2025 when Ducati’s decision to recruit Marquez upset some within Bagnaia’s support system. The long-standing feud between Marquez and Rossi, dating back to their falling out in 2015, continued to simmer in the backdrop of the championship fight.
Simoncelli also drew parallels between Marquez and his late son Marco, who died tragically during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix, underscoring Marquez’s relentless competitive nature:
I knew Marc was the strongest,
he said.
Simoncelli further reminisced on the tenacity and mindset shared by Marquez and Marco:
If Marco hadn’t died, we would have had a lot of fun. You know how sports fights are.
– Paolo Simoncelli
What the 2025 Outcome Means for MotoGP’s Competitive Landscape
With Marc Marquez once again at the pinnacle of the sport and Bagnaia reeling from a difficult season, attention now turns to how the Ducati camp, and Bagnaia himself, will recalibrate in the face of Marquez’s evident strength. The influence of legacy figures such as Valentino Rossi and the dynamics within MotoGP teams continue to play a decisive role, with the mental aspect of elite racing under renewed examination after a turbulent year for Bagnaia.
