Pecco Bagnaia Faces Criticism from Dani Pedrosa: ‘Lack of Determination at the Start of the Race!’

Dani Pedrosa, now serving as a sharp-eyed analyst for DAZN, didn’t hold back in dissecting what was arguably one of Pecco Bagnaia’s worst weekends in MotoGP. The 2024 French Grand Prix at Le Mans left Ducati’s factory star reeling, not just with zero points, but also with a sense of lost momentum in the championship battle. As Marc Marquez now leads the standings by 51 points, the pressure is mounting for Bagnaia — and Pedrosa believes the root of the problem isn’t just mechanical, but mental.

A Nightmare in Le Mans for Bagnaia

The Le Mans circuit has never been a kind track to Pecco Bagnaia since his promotion to the premier class. Despite entering the weekend with hopes of challenging for the top step, Bagnaia ended up collecting nothing but frustration. Both the Sprint and the Grand Prix saw him lose ground — not only to his rivals on track, but also in the psychological warfare of the championship.

Dani Pedrosa didn’t mince words in his assessment on DAZN. “He completely missed both Saturday and Sunday,” the former MotoGP star said. “During the GP, he arrived very slowly at the apex. We see how everyone overtakes him, outside as well as inside. Then he finds Bastianini and bites the vibrator inside.”

The Spaniard, widely respected for his technical insight and calm demeanor, painted a picture of a rider who was lost in the moment, uncharacteristically off the pace, and visibly unsure of his actions on the bike.

“He Lost Confidence in His Strategy”

For Pedrosa, the unraveling of Bagnaia’s weekend began even before the green lights. Confidence, or a lack thereof, was the key element that Pedrosa identified in Bagnaia’s collapse.

“When he was on the grid, I think he realized that his strategy was not the right one,” Pedrosa said. “On the sighting lap, he raised his arms at one point, as if to say: ‘It’s not possible, I was wrong again!’ I think he lost confidence in his strategy and didn’t start the race with determination. That’s why he braked a little early.”

These are harsh but insightful words from a man who once battled for world championships himself. The image of Bagnaia raising his arms, confused and disillusioned before the race even began, might now be symbolic of deeper problems within his camp — particularly in moments of strategic uncertainty.

Was There a Technical Problem at Le Mans?

While confidence and mental focus played major roles, Pedrosa did entertain the possibility of a technical glitch contributing to Bagnaia’s poor start — especially with the Holeshot Device, a crucial tool for launch control in today’s MotoGP.

“Maybe he couldn’t get the Holeshot Device to engage. That’s why he braked harder than usual,” Pedrosa theorized. “But everyone still overtook him, he had no more confidence and I think that’s what prevented him from approaching this first bend calmly.”

If true, this would explain why Bagnaia looked completely out of sync with the race flow from the very first corner. The Holeshot Device is designed to compress the rear suspension and provide stability for the launch; failure to engage it could severely compromise a rider’s acceleration and balance.

This detail could also explain why other riders — not just Bagnaia — appeared to struggle with stability and grip through Turn 1. Multiple crashes and wide lines were a theme during the Le Mans weekend, adding weight to Pedrosa’s speculation of a broader technical issue that affected several machines.

The Championship Is Slipping Away

What makes this situation even more dramatic is how it affects the broader championship narrative. Pecco Bagnaia was expected to be one of the front-running title contenders, a defending champion with arguably the most complete package in MotoGP. Yet after Le Mans, he finds himself 51 points behind Marc Marquez, who seems rejuvenated aboard the satellite Ducati.

Marc Marquez, now leading the standings, has embraced every opportunity to show his adaptability. While Bagnaia is faltering on a factory machine, Marquez is thriving on a year-old satellite bike, proving once again that mental fortitude and racing instincts often trump technical advantages.

The optics are brutal: the factory rider is lost, while the satellite rider is leading.

A Pattern Emerging?

This isn’t the first time that Bagnaia has struggled when under pressure. Throughout his MotoGP career, fans and analysts have seen two very different versions of him: the calculated, clinical winner, and the rattled, inconsistent struggler. When confidence is high, he looks unbeatable. But when cracks begin to show, he often fails to reverse the momentum.

Le Mans 2024 might become a turning point — not just in the championship, but in how the paddock views Bagnaia’s long-term stability. Riders like Marquez, Jorge Martin, and even rookie sensations like Pedro Acosta are snapping at his heels. The field is more competitive than ever, and there’s no room for repeated meltdowns.

What Needs to Change for Bagnaia?

For Pecco Bagnaia, the road ahead must involve both technical refinement and mental recalibration. Dani Pedrosa’s analysis highlighted a glaring vulnerability — a lack of trust in his team’s decisions or his own feel for the bike.

To correct this course, Bagnaia must focus on:

• Rebuilding confidence, particularly in pre-race decisions.

• Ensuring technical systems like the Holeshot Device are thoroughly verified before race time.

• Adopting a flexible mindset, capable of adjusting to setbacks without spiraling.

• Working closely with Ducati engineers to develop better adaptability on circuits where he traditionally struggles — like Le Mans.

Pedrosa’s Final Word: A Mirror, Not a Mallet

Despite his critiques, Dani Pedrosa’s tone is analytical, not accusatory. His breakdown is a mirror held up to Bagnaia — one that shows hard truths, but also a clear path to redemption.

“Confidence is everything,” Pedrosa emphasized. And in MotoGP, where the difference between victory and disaster can be measured in tenths of a second, that statement rings painfully true.

Looking Ahead: Can Bagnaia Recover?

The 2024 MotoGP season is far from over, and Pecco Bagnaia has bounced back from worse. But with Marc Marquez looking sharper than ever, and names like Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini closing in, Bagnaia’s margin for error is shrinking fast.

His next challenge will be not just to score points, but to prove — to fans, to his team, and to himself — that he’s still the champion who can fight back. The French Grand Prix was a disaster, but it doesn’t have to define his season.