Marc Marquez ‘pained’ at seeing Pecco Bagnaia’s 2025 MotoGP struggles

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez says “it pains me to see” Pecco Bagnaia struggling the way he has across the 2025 season.

When the 32-year-old was announced last year as being promoted to the factory Ducati squad, the 2025 title battle was expected to be a tight affair between Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia.

But, from the off in 2025, Bagnaia never looked like the double world champion of previous years, while his season has been even more erratic since the summer break.

He went from a double non-score at Misano to dominating at the Japanese Grand Prix, which then gave way to two miserable weekends in Indonesia and Australia, where he had no pace at all.

Bagnaia came from Q1 to pole at Sepang and dominated the sprint, before a puncture denied him a podium in the grand prix.

And at last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, he struggled to eighth in the sprint and crashed while running a distant fourth in the main race.

With one round to go, Bagnaia is at risk of being consigned to fifth in the riders’ standings.

Marquez insists Bagnaia “hasn’t forgotten how to ride”

Bagnaia and Ducati have turned his GP25 upside down several times across the 2025 season to try and find the front confidence he has been missing.

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi said in Portugal that the marque has “done everything it can” to help him, but no permanent solution has been found.

Speaking during an Estrella Galicia press conference on Tuesday, Marquez says “it would be the best thing for the Ducati project” for Bagnaia to find his form again.

“It pains me to see him like this,” he said.

“Pecco has experienced a total rollercoaster ride this year, which I don't think even he can explain, the difference in his feelings.

“The best thing that could happen to him is for winter to arrive, and for him to reset.

“He hasn't forgotten how to ride a bike. We saw that in Motegi. It would be the best thing for the Ducati project.”

Marquez out of a sling as arm recovery continues

Marquez has been absent since suffering a complicated shoulder injury in a tangle with Marco Bezzecchi at the Indonesian Grand Prix, and will miss the Valencia finale.

The seven-time MotoGP champion has now had the sling removed from his right arm, following a check-up on Monday with his doctors, and says his rehabilitation is “going well”.

“I haven't been bored, I haven't had time to be bored,” he said.

“We've focused these days on slowing down and then starting rehabilitation. It's going well.

“Yesterday I had my check-up with the doctors, and I'm already out of the sling. We're doing the typical, everyday arm movements.”