No Quick Escape for Pecco Bagnaia: What’s Happening with Ducati 2025?

Pecco Bagnaia, the reigning two-time MotoGP World Champion, is facing one of the most testing periods of his career as he grapples with the challenges of Ducati’s 2025 prototype—the GP25. Once hailed as the most dominant bike in the paddock, the Ducati GP25 has shown signs of vulnerability this season, with Bagnaia now trailing 72 points behind the championship leader after another difficult race weekend.

At the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, the Italian rider made a rare admission: “It’s not easy, it takes time”, acknowledging that Ducati’s issues are more than just surface-level. And with Marc Marquez, his Ducati stablemate, also beginning to struggle with similar problems, the alarm bells are ringing in Bologna.

The GP25 Struggles: Not the Instant Upgrade Riders Expected

The Ducati GP25 was supposed to be an evolution of perfection—a fine-tuned, refined version of the all-conquering machine that brought Bagnaia back-to-back world titles in 2022 and 2023. But for Bagnaia, the new season has brought unexpected obstacles.

One of the first signs of trouble came during preseason, when Ducati engineers decided against using a new engine that Bagnaia and Marc Marquez had tested but ultimately didn’t approve. Since then, issues with front-end feeling, tire degradation, and lack of rear grip have plagued Bagnaia’s campaign.

“We are just trying to solve our problem,” Bagnaia explained. “During the sprint, I completely finished the rear tyre. It was tough. I was overtaken by Johann Zarco like I was in Moto2. It was a shame.”

That admission alone paints a picture of desperation from a rider used to dominating the field.

“I Can’t Do Miracles”: Bagnaia Calls on Ducati for Support

After a torrid sprint race at Silverstone, Bagnaia opened up about a critical Ducati debrief involving himself and Marc Marquez. Both top riders reportedly had similar feedback: the bike just isn’t behaving like it should.

“In the meeting with Marc, we said more or less the same thing about our bike. At this track, Alex Marquez is making the difference with the GP24. He’s doing what I did last season. This season I cannot do it.”

Bagnaia was candid in his assessment, even going so far as to say:

“I am trying to give my maximum, to find different solutions to be competitive, but it’s not enough… I can’t do miracles.”

The problem lies deeper than the rider. Ducati’s engineers are now in a race against time to salvage the GP25 package before Bagnaia’s title hopes vanish completely.

Michael Laverty: “The Fix Is One Pit Box Away”

TNT Sports analyst Michael Laverty offered a brutally honest assessment of Bagnaia’s predicament. While Alex Marquez continues to thrive on the year-old GP24, Bagnaia is sinking on the so-called superior model.

“The fix isn’t far away—only one pit box away, the GP24! But he can’t go and pinch it,” Laverty said. “He wants it back if you listen to him talk. That’s frustrating for the former world champion, he feels like a sitting duck.”

Laverty suggested that Ducati would need to “re-engineer the package” to restore the feeling and rear grip that riders like Bagnaia depend on. And although the team boasts powerful analytical tools—including AI-assisted diagnostics—solutions will take time, analysis, and engineering creativity.

“It’s not an easy fix,” Laverty continued. “To fix all these little components takes time, it takes a lot of analysis, brain power, and the AI computer at Ducati.”

Alex Marquez Shows GP24’s Strength at Silverstone

In a cruel twist, Alex Marquez—riding for Gresini Racing on last year’s GP24—emerged as the standout Ducati performer at Silverstone. His pace and confidence mirrored what Bagnaia had last year, when he dominated the grid.

“Alex is clearly the best rider on maybe the best package on the grid,” Laverty emphasized.

That comment only underlined the growing sentiment in the paddock: the GP24 is still the better bike. And if Ducati can’t quickly unlock the potential of the GP25, they may have to swallow the bitter truth that they’ve taken a step backwards.

Marquez Feels the Same Strain: A Ducati-Wide Problem?

Until now, Marc Marquez had looked like the man to beat on the GP25, collecting strong finishes and climbing to the top of the MotoGP standings. But at Silverstone, even he wasn’t immune.

The #93 rider admitted to similar issues with feeling and front-end grip, which mirrored Bagnaia’s comments. While Marquez salvaged points, the struggle suggests that Ducati’s problems are not isolated to just one rider or setup.

“Marc made the difference at every track until we arrived at Silverstone,” Laverty explained. “Now the problems have caught up to him too.”

Marquez currently leads the championship by 24 points, but cracks are starting to show. And if Ducati can’t correct the course, it could open the door for rivals like Pedro Acosta, Jorge Martin, and Fabio Quartararo to mount a late-season charge.

Ducati Under Pressure: Will They Revert to the GP24 Formula?

Given the surprising performance gap between the GP24 and the GP25, some in the paddock are wondering whether Ducati might pivot back to the older model—or at least incorporate its strengths into an updated GP25 design.

The factory is already working overtime, but there’s only so much that can be done mid-season. MotoGP bikes aren’t easily rebuilt; they require precision engineering, testing, and often months of development to fine-tune even the smallest components.

Still, with three riders—Bagnaia, Marquez, and Martin—all voicing concerns, the heat is on for Ducati’s race department.

Can Bagnaia Bounce Back? Time Is Running Out

For Francesco Bagnaia, the 2025 MotoGP season is quickly slipping through his fingers. After multiple uncharacteristic results, he now sits 72 points off the championship lead—a massive gap for a rider of his caliber.

He has the experience, the drive, and the pedigree. But if the GP25 package doesn’t improve, he might become another cautionary tale in the relentless world of MotoGP development.

The paddock knows Bagnaia is not the problem—the bike is. As he said himself:

“The engineers are trying to solve our problems because it’s a failure of everyone if we are not fighting for the top positions.”

And those top positions are now occupied by riders on year-old machinery, exposing the pitfalls of racing development that favors theory over rider feedback.

Final Thoughts: Ducati’s Crossroads Moment

This is a pivotal moment for Ducati Corse. They have the riders, the infrastructure, and the technology. But for the first time in years, their decisions are under scrutiny.

The GP25 was supposed to carry the brand into a new era of dominance. Instead, it has brought confusion, inconsistency, and a growing list of questions. Can they reverse course fast enough to keep Pecco Bagnaia in the title hunt? Or will this season become a cautionary tale in MotoGP’s ever-evolving arms race?

The answer lies not in the next race, but in Ducati’s ability to listen, learn, and deliver a solution worthy of its champions.