Ducati addresses Pecco Bagnaia’s tough Austria MotoGP: ‘We must confront disappointment’

Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna says Ducati and Pecco Bagnaia must “pitch our efforts” and “confront disappointment” after the latter’s struggles at the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix.

Having won the Austrian Grand Prix for the past three years, expectations of a bounce back for the double world champion were high ahead of last weekend’s Red Bull Ring round.

But Pecco Bagnaia came away without points in the sprint due to a tyre issue, while the strong pace he showed in Friday practice disappeared for the grand prix as he struggled to eighth.

After the race, Dall’Igna told Sky Italy that he felt Bagnaia’s race was “underwhelming” and noted that “every race that passes is a wasted opportunity to improve”.

Bagnaia cut a frustrated figure in front of the media, too, admitting that he is running out of patience for Ducati to find him a solution to his troubles on the GP25.

Now, in his traditional post-race debrief, Dall’Igna offered a more measured response to Bagnaia’s weekend, once again backing the Italian and urging both parties not to give up.

"Pecco tried hard to vie for a podium that seemed within his grasp,” Dall’Igna began.

“It was a weekend that started in a very encouraging manner, but then things took a different turn, also due to some unfortunate incidents in both sprint and GP race.

“To prove that the key word always remains the same: positivity.

“We have no doubt about the potential of the champion and the bike.

“Together, we must “pitch our efforts”, as always.

“We have to understand and accept disappointment, confront it continuously without ever letting go and insist to the end.

“Experience teaches us that when things go wrong there is always something that adds up to the frustration and gets in the way: one has to keep a clear head, consider the good things that have been done and start again from this, like in the practice runs at the beginning of the weekend.

“More generally, I am happy with what we are doing, I thank all the guys who are working so hard for this, even more so at a time when the signs of reaction from our competitors are so strong and clear.”

Bagnaia is now 197 points behind team-mate Marc Marquez in the championship, with the latter scoring a point more in the last six rounds than the Italian has for the entire season.