Unwavering: Bagnaia Reveals Reason for Rejecting Yamaha Rumors

Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia is navigating a complicated chapter in his 2025 MotoGP season. While rumors swirl about a potential switch to Yamaha, the reigning double world champion remains resolute in his commitment to Ducati. At the same time, Bagnaia is wrestling with technical limitations that have hindered his performance on the Ducati GP25, especially at the Aragon MotoGP.

Bold Denial: “It’s Not True” – Bagnaia Dismisses Yamaha Switch

The Aragon paddock was abuzz with speculation after Italian media suggested Pecco Bagnaia could be Yamaha’s dream signing for 2026, despite his current contract with Ducati running through that season. Social media only fueled the fire, with fan-made images of Bagnaia in Yamaha’s iconic blue leathers going viral.

But Bagnaia addressed the rumors head-on after Friday practice in Aragon:

“That, I don’t understand,” said Bagnaia. “Because when there’s a signed contract, like I said on Thursday in Silverstone, I will never quit what I signed. This is something that will never change in my life.”

Bagnaia emphasized that both he and Ducati are fully aligned for the long haul:

“I want to stay in Ducati, Ducati want me to stay… until the finish of this contract and also the next one. So I don’t know why [these rumors are spreading].”

Bagnaia even poked fun at the online speculation:

“I started hearing a lot, seeing a lot of posts of me with photoshopped blue leathers. It’s true that a rider like me that is in some hard moment, people can start thinking ‘maybe he will go’. But it’s not what is happening to me.”

Bagnaia’s Battle with the GP25 Continues in Aragon

As if fighting off media speculation wasn’t enough, Bagnaia’s technical battles with the Ducati GP25 also came to the fore on Friday. Despite finishing in ninth place, his frustration was evident. The Italian is trying to unlock more performance from a bike that, so far, refuses to yield.

“We are trying different things and it’s not an easy situation because the bike is the same as the previous races,” Bagnaia explained. “We decided to go with the long Ohlins front forks, and the feeling was the same, more or less.”

His biggest issue? Corner entry. According to Bagnaia:

“I’m struggling to put speed on the entrance [to corners]. In this track, where the grip is very low, it’s even worse because you don’t get the confidence to enter fast.”

Trying to push the limit with a new soft rear tyre, Bagnaia discovered that the GP25’s front end was far too volatile.

“When I try to enter fast, I lose the front, and it becomes worse with the time attack using the new soft rear… I only dropped five tenths, and I started to have a lot of front locking and massive understeer.”

Radical Changes to Riding Style: “30 Metres of Locking”

Bagnaia also admitted that his natural, aggressive braking style is no longer viable on the current Ducati setup. In fact, it’s hurting his performance:

“The one of braking as much as I can, like I was doing before, is not working with this bike. I’m losing the front while I’m straight. Today I had 30 metres of locking. So it’s unbelievable, and I need to do different things.”

This revelation signals a fundamental shift in how Bagnaia will need to ride the bike going forward—essentially rewriting the habits that brought him two world titles.

Still Focused on Victory: “A Small Detail Can Make a Huge Difference”

Despite the struggles, Bagnaia’s optimism hasn’t wavered. He remains focused on his goal: victory.

“I’m an optimistic guy. I know that we are speaking about details and that maybe tomorrow morning, some little changes can make a huge difference.”

In particular, Bagnaia is targeting a front-row start, hoping that better grid placement can reduce the risk of early race complications.

“We will try at least to start from the front row and then try to win the race. We know perfectly how Marc [Marquez] is strong here. He’s making the difference.”

He acknowledged that Marquez—his Ducati teammate and current on-track nemesis—is delivering exceptional pace, especially in Sector 2 where Bagnaia is losing up to five-tenths of a second.

Grid Position and Traction: An Unexpected Hurdle

Another factor Bagnaia highlighted is the low grip on the starting grid, particularly from less-used positions.

“We spoke about [the grid in the Safety Commission], we asked to clean it,” Bagnaia said. “But the problem is not that it’s very dusty; it’s more that the grip is very low.”

Starting in third position during practice, Bagnaia experienced significant wheelspin all the way to the first corner.

“I spun until the first corner. Then I started from second position, in the middle, and I just spun a bit in third gear.”

For Bagnaia, finding the right place on the grid is no longer just about track position—it’s about grip and momentum off the line, which could heavily influence his race result.

Bagnaia vs Marquez: Ducati’s Intra-Team Chess Game

While Bagnaia navigates setup changes and evolving riding styles, his teammate Marc Marquez appears to have adapted to the GP25 with frightening speed. The fact that Bagnaia is nearly eight-tenths slower than Marquez in time attack mode has raised eyebrows.

“Apart from Marc, who at the moment is on another level, we were very close to the rest. So we need to solve some problems.”

This internal Ducati rivalry is becoming one of the biggest talking points of the season. If Bagnaia can’t close the gap soon, Marquez could become more than just a teammate—he could become a direct title threat.

Conclusion: Loyalty Over Hype, Work Over Hype

Pecco Bagnaia is at a crossroads. The Yamaha rumors have been put to bed, but the challenge now lies in optimizing a bike that’s working against his instincts. And while Marc Marquez is shining, Bagnaia is grinding, trying different forks, shifting his braking habits, and tuning every detail in hopes of regaining dominance.

Yet in all this turmoil, one thing is clear: Bagnaia is loyal, focused, and optimistic. He’s not jumping ship. He’s not giving up. He’s not changing teams. He’s changing everything else to stay on top with Ducati—just the way he promised.

“I want to stay in Ducati… until the finish of this contract and also the next one.”

Now all that’s left is to prove it—on the track.