Francesco Bagnaia’s reveals advice from “role models” Valentino Rossi, Carlo Casabianca

After suffering his toughest MotoGP season as a factory Ducati rider, Francesco Bagnaia turned to “role models” Valentino Rossi and Carlo Casabianca for a winter “reset”.

Bagnaia had been a title contender in all four previous years at Ducati Lenovo, wining the crown in 2022 and 2023, and being title runner-up in the other years.

But, unlike new team-mate Marc Marquez, Bagnaia was rarely comfortable on the GP25. The Italian’s frustration was exacerbated by also failing to match Alex Marquez, riding a year-old Gresini machine.

Bagnaia’s struggles only increased as the season went on, albeit interrupted by brief flashes of his past form at tracks like Motegi and Sepang.

He eventually slipped to fifth in the standings, behind the Marquez brothers, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi and KTM’s Pedro Acosta.

“The holidays helped me reset,” Sky Italia reports Francesco Bagnaia as saying at the Ducati team launch. “Compared to the past, I tried to disconnect more, I took more time to think about myself.

“In 2024 I dominated but lost the world championship, so in 2025 I tried to do a different job that had worked in the first part of the season.

“During the championship, however, I never felt comfortable on the bike, and I wasn't able to get 100% out of my riding."

Unsurprisingly, he turned to mentor and nine time world champion Valentino Rossi, as well as VR46 Academy physical trainer Carlo Casabianca.

"My two role models during this period were Valentino Rossi and Carlo Casabianca. They both have been through all kinds of situations in the past, even Vale has had difficult moments and Carlo was with him,” Bagnaia explained.

“They told me to be happy and enjoy the moment.

“I had four seasons at the top and last year I didn't get what I wanted. When I finished 3rd or 4th I was too critical of myself. Sometimes you just have to look on the positive side of things and analyse them better.

“Even if I was struggling, I wanted to win and I couldn’t do it, so I just have to stay calmer and try to get the best even when I’m struggling, that’s what I’ve been working on.”

Bagnaia added: “There were times last year when a third place made me angry. When you lose the value of the results, you also lose the path.

“For example, in Argentina I finished fourth. It was a good result because it was the best I could do. At the end of the championship, I would have paid to do it again. It was something that didn’t allow me to work well.”

Bagnaia faced plenty of criticism last season.

"It depended on who it came from; 90% of it was unnecessary,” he said. “When criticism is constructive, it's right to listen to it and absorb it; when it's useless, there's no point in taking it into consideration."

Behind the scenes footage showed that, despite his personal frustration, Bagnaia kept a good relationship with new team-mate Marquez last season, who even tried to offer advice of his own.

“It’s incredible how fast I was going last year and how slow I’m going now. Incredible. I’m losing more and more confidence,” Bagnaia said during an in-car conversation with Marquez at Catalunya.

“You have to arrive to a track and do a reset. Misano is good,” Marquez replied. “You’ll see. Step by step it will be better.”

Bagnaia said of their camaraderie: "I'm not surprised we have an excellent relationship because I know he's intelligent, has a lot of experience, is mature, and all of that makes a difference.”

Bagnaia and Marquez will begin their 2026 MotoGP track activities at the official Sepang test from February 3-5.