Pecco Bagnaia brings new item to Le Mans, “something Marc Marquez already using”
"I tested it, but I didn't like it," Pecco Bagnaia explains
Pecco Bagnaia will bring a revised item on his Ducati to this weekend’s French MotoGP.
Bagnaia is eager to land his first major blow of the 2025 championship battle at Le Mans.
He was able to finish on the podium last time out at the Spanish MotoGP, owing to teammate and rival Marc Marquez’s costly crash.
That enabled Bagnaia to catch up significantly although Gresini’s Alex Marquez again out-performed him to win in Spain.
After a day of testing in Jerez, Bagnaia is ready to go again with an updated GP25 - although the specifics are unconfirmed.
“We delivered something that we will use in Le Mans,” Bagnaia said after testing.
“It was something Marc was already using. I removed it after the test in Thailand because I didn’t have a clear feeling.
“I am happy to have tested. I felt [good] with it.
“We then tested other things that I didn’t [previously] like, and I needed more time to think about it.”
Pecco Bagnaia notes big difference with Marc Marquez
A new swingarm was available to the factory Ducati riders at the Jerez test, Davide Tardozzi explained.
However, that remains a key point of difference between the bike that Bagnaia is riding and his teammate Marquez’s.
“I am already using the one from last year,” Bagnaia said about swingarms.
“Marc is using another one.
“I tested it. But I didn’t like it. The feeling was very similar so I changed back to mine, and we will continue with it.
“I know that, in the future, another swingarm will arrive. Maybe this one will work for me…”
Bagnaia had already insisted that he discovered two things which will aid him in his uphill fight against Marquez at the Jerez test - but left an air of mystery about what those parts are.
Bagnaia was urged to find “a missing piece” to take the battle to his championship rivals at Le Mans and beyond.
He admitted last time out after the Spanish MotoGP that he was unable to make overtakes.
Bagnaia has typically struggled to begin his weekends quickly, often struggling on Fridays, however all eyes will be on him this weekend at Le Mans.
Whether his post-testing Ducati can allow him to tackle the major issues he has faced during race weekends this season will be a key indicator about how the rest of this season might play out.
Bagnaia trails championship leader Alex Marquez by 20 points ahead of the French MotoGP.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
