Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi told “it’s a conversation that needs to be had”

Ducati have been told they must seriously consider whether to revert Pecco Bagnaia to a 2024-spec bike.

Bagnaia has lagged behind factory Ducati teammate Marc Marquez, who is also riding the new GP25 this season, but also trailed Gresini’s Alex Marquez who has a year-old version.

The Jerez test a week ago gave Ducati and Bagnaia an opportunity to close the deficit but, with the championship eking away from him, he has been advised to consider utilising last year’s bike.

Bagnaia was third in Friday practice for the French MotoGP, which his teammate topped.

Dorna’s Jack Appleyard asked in Le Mans at the French MotoGP: “At what point do Ducati say: this GP25 isn’t a marked improvement on the ‘24 machine?

“The ‘24 machine leads the championship through Alex Marquez.

“Pecco has said on record, on multiple occasions, ‘I cannot do the things I want to do, on this bike, as I could with the ‘24’.

“When I say bruised ego, at what point do Ducati admit it, and hold their hands up, and revert back to the ‘24 package?

“I think that is a conversation that needs to be had. We need to see whether it happens.

“If they can’t find improvements over the next couple of rounds, surely Bagnaia will be screaming: ‘Give me a bike I can perform with!’”

Louis Suddaby added: “Bagnaia said, after Jerez, that he looks at the data of what Alex Marquez is doing. And it’s what he was doing, last season.

“So he’s confident that, if he was on the motorcycle that Alex Marquez is on, he’d be doing something similar, if not better.”

However, Ducati arrived at Le Mans with an updated chassis for Marc Marquez only.

Davide Tardozzi has talked up the chassis, and the parts that were tested in Jerez which he insists will help Bagnaia too.

Tardozzi did not confirm why Bagnaia is not using the new chassis in Le Mans.

Pecco Bagnaia has not 'looked competitive at any point'

Bagnaia is 20 points shy of championship leader Alex Marquez.

“Despite it being Pecco’s best start, in terms of points, to a season that he’s ever had, despite him being off the podium on only two occasions, despite him already winning a race, I don’t think he’s looked competitive at any point this year,” Appleyard said.

“It never looks as though he has been the masterful Bagnaia that has been able to romp away at the front.

“That Jerez test was the most important day of his season so far.

“When he spoke to journalists in the media centre, he wasn’t too glowing in his reports of how the test went.”

Suddaby replied: “We will find out this weekend, ultimately.

“He has been consistent but at no grand prix has he been the fastest rider, or the fastest Ducati.

“He’s always had one, or two, quicker than him. The Marquez brothers.

Bagnaia might feel that he’s got away with one, so far this season.

“To have racked up the points that he has, to be within a race of the lead.

“If he can flick a switch and get back to the Bagnaia who won 11 grands prix last season, he’s firmly in the world champion conversation.

“But he’s got Marc Marquez who has barely taken a backwards step this season. The only points he’s given up have been literally given up through his own mistakes. And Alex Marquez is riding as well as he ever has.

“Pecco knows that, if he is to win the championship back, he has to raise his game.

“He can’t expect Marquez to keep making mistakes. You can’t imagine Marquez, with the bruised ego that he’s got, coming to Le Mans to offer more opportunities like that.”