Ducati backs Francesco Bagnaia rebound: “We'll see a solid Pecco from winter testing”
Francesco Bagnaia backed for MotoGP rebound but Marc Marquez "priority" for 2027.
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali has backed Francesco Bagnaia to prove that his frustrating 2025 MotoGP season was only a temporary blip.
While new team-mate Marc Marquez dominated the campaign, Bagnaia - a double MotoGP champion and twice a title runner-up - failed to fight for the world championship for the first time as a factory Ducati rider.
Bagnaia’s season began with front-end issues, later compounded by rear stability problems. Although he still managed to win four races, a string of late-season hero-or-zero results left him fifth in the final standings.
“Pecco has thought a lot, and his technicians have analysed many things,” Domenicali told Sky Italia at Monday’s Ducati team launch.
The Ducati CEO admitted that “explanations aren’t simple” and that “some things are not fully resolved,” but insisted progress was already visible late last year.
“I think that already in the end-of-season test several things were understood; his confidence with the bike was good,” Domenicali said.
“I think we'll see a solid Pecco already in the winter tests."
Bagnaia’s response in 2026 could also influence his long-term future, with both factory Ducati seats available ahead of the new 850cc regulations in 2027.
Domenicali made clear that Ducati’s immediate priority is to secure Marquez.
“[Bagnaia’s future is] also a question of us first having to close the ‘Marc package’ and then start thinking about the second rider,” he said.
“Pecco is in our hearts, and obviously we're paying close attention to what happens in testing, and then, together, we'll decide how to proceed."
Domenicali confirmed Ducati hopes to finalise Marquez’s renewal before the opening round of the season in Thailand on March 1.
“We'd like to be able to finalise the deal in the next few weeks, and that's our priority right now. Until we've finalised this, we won't move on to other options.
“I think it would be strange if we couldn't resolve the issue before the start of the World Championship.”
Ducati will be chasing its fifth MotoGP riders’ title in a row in 2026, the final season for 1000cc engines and Michelin tyres.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.