Pecco Bagnaia: “Pretty difficult time for Ducati” ahead of Le Mans MotoGP

Pecco Bagnaia admits it's "a pretty difficult time for Ducati in general" as the reigning champions arrive for the French MotoGP at Le Mans.

Last year’s race saw Ducati’s unbeaten start to the 2025 season finally end at the hands of Honda’s home hero Johann Zarco, after a Sunday rainstorm.

Ducati returns having celebrated just three wins from the opening eight races, two of them in Sprints.

Gresini’s Alex Marquez broke the Marco Bezzecchi/Aprilia victory streak at Jerez, but the factory team of Marc Marquez and Bagnaia is still without a grand prix podium.

“It's a pretty difficult time for Ducati in general, which is definitely not working as we expected,” Bagnaia told Sky Italia on the eve of this weekend’s French Grand Prix.

“Unfortunately, I've been in this situation for over a year, so I'm struggling quite a bit, and it's strange because this year I feel better on the bike, I have more feeling, especially at the front, but I still can't do what I want.

“We have a pretty nervous bike under braking. You could see that in my crash in Jerez. You have to be extremely precise because it tends to move a lot, and it's no longer the Ducati where you brake really hard, come in really hard, and stay there.

“Alex Marquez managed to make it work in Jerez… So it's a complicated moment, but, as I've said more than once, I always believe in arriving at the Grand Prix and being up front.

“I always believe in that, I know we have the potential to stay up front, and we just need to find the right balance."

Bagnaia’s hopes of rising above his present ninth in the world championship could be boosted by some promising aero at the Jerez test.

However, it might not be used until the following round in Barcelona.

"I think it might be possible [to use it at Le Mans], but we don't have many units. 

"So, in case of mixed track conditions, I don't think we'll use it: since there aren't many, we don't want to ruin them for Barcelona, which is a track where aerodynamics make the difference.

“I don't think we'll use it here, but we'll see."