Ducati ‘asking’ Pecco Bagnaia ‘to take a another step’ amid 2025 MotoGP struggles

Ducati MotoGP boss Davide Tardozzi says “the general level” has “risen more than Pecco Bagnaia has improved” and is “asking him to take a further step forward”.

Twice a world champion in the las three years and winner of 11 grands prix in 2024 as he narrowly missed the title, Pecco Bagnaia was expected to pose a stiffer challenge to new team-mate Marc Marquez this season.

However, Bagnaia has struggled to match Marc Marquez’s pace and has been regularly bested by Alex Marquez too on the year-old Gresini-run Ducati.

Winning just one race from the first six rounds - the Americas GP, where Marc Marquez crashed out of the lead - Bagnaia is currently 51 points adrift of his team-mate in the standings after a luckless French GP last week saw him score no points.

Bagnaia has complained that the 2025 Ducati doesn’t have what he needs to attack on the front end like he used to and that he can’t ride around the issues in the same way Marc Marquez can.

Ducati makes Pecco Bagnaia request

Tardozzi has told Speedweek that Ducati is “working hard to restore his confidence” but says he needs to raise his level more too.

“The 2025 bike is only slightly better than the 2024,” he began.

“It is clear that the general level we are seeing this season has risen more than Bagnaia has improved.

“Therefore, he is asked to take a further step forward and believe in his potential.

“On certain tracks he was even faster than in the last world championship.

“As a team we are working hard to restore his confidence. He has always been the strongest in braking and corner entry.

“We have the data in hand and know where he is fast.

“If he can become competitive again in those phases, then he can fight with Marc.”

Tardozzi also insists that Bagnaia hasn’t mentally struggled with being Marquez’s team-mate this season.

“He is not mentally suffering from his presence, but it’s about something else that we haven’t found out yet,” he added.

“Pecco hardly mentions it and they shake hands and talk to each other - details that make it clear they get along well.

“I repeat this often, but people don’t believe me.”