Pecco Bagnaia confident of “good fight until Valencia” with Marc Marquez

Pecco Bagnaia says he is confident he can push a MotoGP title battle with factory Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez down to the wire in Valencia.

Double world champion Pecco Bagnaia is facing the toughest challenge yet of his MotoGP career as he goes for a third title against Marc Marquez.

So far in 2025, Marquez has a clear advantage over his team-mate having won all four sprints and three of the first three grands prix to take a 26-point lead in the standings.

Bagnaia has struggled to get on pace terms on the GP25, though managed victory at COTA after Marquez crashed out of the lead.

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Despite running at a deficit to his team-mate on equal machinery currently, Bagnaia believes he can still push Marquez all the way to Valencia.

“I know that Marc is maybe the most competitive rider, so last year he was adapting to the situation, he did a very good job,” he told TNT Sport.

“This season he started at the top. So, surely it will be a bit different but we can have a good fight until Valencia.

“I think as soon as I feel back to my top we will fight and it will be fun for sure.”

Bagnaia’s tough start to 2025 comes off the back of his title defeat in 2024 to Pramac Ducati rival Jorge Martin, despite winning 11 grands prix to the Spaniard’s three.

On not being in the hunt for wins at the start of 2025, Bagnaia said: “[It’s been] strange, because I was knowing what the problem was, it was difficult to solve.

“I knew that the potential was coming back but I was not knowing when.

“So, the thing was to continue working like we did with the team and when we arrived in Austin I understood from the first session that the feeling was improving a lot.

“And when I was able to fight in terms of pace with the strongest ever in Austin was a relief and I enjoyed it a lot.”