Pecco Bagnaia: Ducati wanted high-pressure factory MotoGP team situation

Pecco Bagnaia says Ducati “was trying to create the situation it has now” in MotoGP with two riders capable of winning the title after signing Marc Marquez to its factory team.

The factory Ducati squad has gone unbeaten in the 2025 MotoGP season so far, with Marc Marquez winning all four sprints and three of the first four grands prix, while Pecco Bagnaia was victorious at the Americas Grand Prix.

Marquez has had the better of his double world champion team-mate so far in 2025, with the pair split by 26 points coming into this weekend’s Spanish GP at Jerez.

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It’s the first time the factory Ducati squad has had two riders it can rely on equally to win the world championship.

Bagnaia says this is something the marque was looking to create, especially in light of how he won more grands prix than Jorge Martin last year but still lost the title by 10 points due to eight non-scores.

“I think what Ducati was trying to create was this situation because last year we lost the championship because I was committing mistakes,” he told TNT Sports ahead of the Qatar GP.

“When you are stronger and you are winning 18 races in a single season with the sprints, and then losing the championship, it’s something strange to explain.

“And I’m the only one who lost it because I was always there, always fighting for the win, and many times I crashed or we had problems when I was leading or fighting for top positions.

“So, it will be long to accept because I know that it’s 100% my fault and I’m trying to improve on it.

“After this year it’s important to fight back to try to win the championship again.

“I know that this season will be difficult, will be tough for the fight we will have with Marc. But if I win, it will be fantastic. So, I have to keep going working like this.”

While all expectation is for tensions to flare inside the factory Ducati garage at some point this season, Bagnaia says the atmosphere “is still very great”.

“I think that right now is not the moment,” he added.

“I think we are doing good team work. We are always speaking about how to improve during the race weekend, and Marc surely has adapted perfectly to the situation, to the strategy of the team and the atmosphere is still very great inside the garage.

“So, it’s better like this, it’s great to have met riders like Marc, who I’ve never had the chance to speak with him and understand that our relationship can be this good. And this is great.”