Pecco Bagnaia Demands ‘More’ from Home Team After Failures, Pressure Mounts as Champion Faces Tough Season

The 2025 MotoGP season continues to surprise and unsettle fans and riders alike, but no one expected Pecco Bagnaia, the two-time world champion and Ducati’s star rider, to spiral into such a troubling performance slump. After a disastrous outing at the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Bagnaia is now demanding significant technical improvements from Ducati, admitting he has “hit rock bottom” and “doesn’t feel anything” from his 2025 Desmosedici GP bike.

With a double DNF weekend and a crash that wasn’t even entirely his fault, the reigning champion finds himself 51 points behind title leader Marc Márquez, facing the harsh reality of a season slipping away fast unless urgent action is taken.

Pecco Bagnaia’s nightmare at Le Mans

Heading into Le Mans, Pecco Bagnaia was under pressure but still within striking distance of the championship leaders. Instead of redemption, however, he endured arguably the worst weekend of his MotoGP career since joining the factory Ducati squad. The sprint race ended in disaster, and the Grand Prix on Sunday was even more painful, both physically and emotionally.

In the sprint, Bagnaia failed to complete the race. On Sunday, starting with wet tires under tricky mixed conditions, he initially appeared to be on the correct strategy. However, chaos unfolded quickly. At Turn 3 of the opening lap, Enea Bastianini—his former Ducati teammate, now riding for Red Bull KTM Tech3—collided with him while on slick tires. This led to a crash that took Joan Mir down as well and ended Bagnaia’s race prematurely.

Although he was able to remount and continue, the damage to his bike was too severe. After a pit stop to switch machines, he rejoined but eventually finished 16th—well outside the points.

“Today, we hit rock bottom,” said a visibly frustrated Bagnaia. “Nothing worked from Saturday onwards. It’s definitely one of the worst weekends in my career.”

“I don’t feel anything from the bike” — Bagnaia demands answers from Ducati

The Italian rider did not hold back in his post-race interviews. He made it clear that the bike is no longer delivering the front-end feedback that he needs to perform at the highest level. While acknowledging his team’s efforts, Bagnaia issued a public plea to Ducati Corse: he needs more—urgently.

“This is something my team needs to explain to me,” Bagnaia told the official MotoGP website. “They need to give me more information. I know they’re trying everything to help me, but after six races, we still haven’t found a solution.”

His remarks underscore a deep frustration not only with the bike but with the direction the project has taken in 2025. The once dominant Ducati machine, praised for its consistency and superiority in previous seasons, is now under fire from its own lead rider.

“Right now, my feeling on the bike is very bad,” he added. “I don’t feel anything. I don’t get any feedback from the bike. Whether I’m doing the fastest lap or I’m four seconds slower, the bike feels exactly the same. Like this, it’s impossible to push. It’s similar to what we had in Thailand last year.”

Strategic gamble fails amid miscommunication and chaos

The wet-dry conditions at Le Mans made for an unpredictable race. Bagnaia started on wet tires after analyzing weather forecasts that predicted rain. Initially, it looked like a smart move. However, the rain didn’t come, and grip levels began to favor riders on slicks.

“I started with wet tires because I checked every weather forecast and they all said rain was coming,” said Bagnaia. “And I was on the right strategy. But on the straight I spun a lot and many riders passed me.”

Then came the collision with Bastianini, a moment Bagnaia claims was due to a lack of caution from his rival.

“I was very cautious into Turn 3. Then Enea, on slicks, braked as if conditions were normal—and we collided. It ruined both our races.”

Even more frustrating for the Italian was the technical failure and lack of readiness in the pit box. After rejoining the race, he had to switch bikes again—but the backup machine wasn’t prepared.

“When I stopped again, the second bike wasn’t even ready. That was the last straw. So many problems. A complete disaster from Saturday.”

Ducati’s struggles masked by Márquez brilliance

While Pecco Bagnaia suffered, Marc Márquez delivered a masterclass in race management, aggression, and consistency, stealing the spotlight for Gresini Ducati. The fact that Márquez, riding a year-old Ducati, is now leading the championship adds further weight to Bagnaia’s frustrations.

The contrast between the two riders has raised eyebrows throughout the paddock. Bagnaia’s factory-spec bike theoretically holds an edge, yet Márquez seems far more comfortable and capable of extracting maximum performance.

This paradox has not gone unnoticed.

“It’s not just about riding style anymore,” said one Ducati insider. “There’s something fundamental about how Pecco is experiencing the 2025 bike that isn’t working for him—and it’s not affecting everyone the same way.”

Long-lap penalty for Bastianini adds salt to the wound

The crash involving Enea Bastianini, Francesco Bagnaia, and Joan Mir was reviewed by race direction and deemed “irresponsible riding” on Bastianini’s part. As a result, the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider was handed a long-lap penalty to be served at the next Grand Prix at Silverstone (May 23–25).

While Bagnaia expressed some sympathy for Bastianini post-race, the incident added to the overall chaos and emotion of a weekend that could not have gone worse.

“Unfortunately, Pecco didn’t turn,” said Bastianini. “I don’t know if it was a mistake or a technical issue, but he braked very early and I found myself with no room. I’m sorry for what happened.”

For Bagnaia, though, the damage had already been done—physically, mentally, and in the championship standings.

What’s next for Bagnaia and Ducati?

With Silverstone looming, Pecco Bagnaia knows the clock is ticking. The team needs to find answers—and quickly. His calls for more feedback, more development, and a different approach are now public. The pressure on Ducati’s engineers and race strategy team is immense.

“We need to find the solution as soon as possible,” said Bagnaia. “Because right now, it’s very hard to find.”

Ducati cannot afford to lose momentum. With Marc Márquez resurgent, Jorge Martin consistent, and Pedro Acosta rising fast, the 2025 title fight is quickly getting away from the Bologna-based factory.

Championship outlook: uphill battle begins

After six rounds, Pecco Bagnaia sits 51 points behind championship leader Marc Márquez. In MotoGP terms, that’s not an insurmountable gap, but it requires an immediate and dramatic turnaround.

Bagnaia has proven before that he can come back from large deficits—as he did in 2022—but the current trajectory feels different. His frustration is deeper, and the technical problems are more complex. He no longer has the clear best bike on the grid, and his confidence is visibly shaken.

The Silverstone Grand Prix will be pivotal. A strong performance could reignite his season. Another DNF or poor result, however, could shift Ducati’s priorities and potentially open the door to a wider title challenge from Márquez, Martin, or even Acosta.

Conclusion: a champion’s breaking point

Pecco Bagnaia is not just battling for points—he’s battling for control over a rapidly deteriorating situation. The 2025 French Grand Prix was a low point, not just because of the result, but because it exposed the cracks in both the machinery and morale of Ducati’s title defense.

Unless major changes are made—technical, strategic, and possibly internal—Bagnaia’s dream of a third consecutive world championship may begin to fade. The ball is now firmly in Ducati’s court. Their champion has spoken. The question is: will they listen?