Valentino Rossi: Ducati should “put in the same effort” as Pecco Bagnaia
Valentino Rossi says Pecco Bagnaia is “giving it his all” and urged Ducati to match the former MotoGP champion’s commitment.
Valentino Rossi appeared as a guest in the Sky Italia studio on Saturday at the Catalunya MotoGP.
Among the topics discussed by the nine-time world champion and VR46 team owner was the ongoing difficulties experienced by factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia.
The former double champion and VR46 Academy member has struggled for consistent frontrunning form since the start of last year and is widely expected to join Aprilia for 2027.
Bagnaia was on pole last weekend at Le Mans, and has finished runner-up in three Sprints, but is yet to stand on a grand prix podium this season.
Valentino Rossi: “I'd like Ducati to put in the same effort as Pecco"
"[Bagnaia] has a very good attitude this year, he's really giving it his all. The results are visible, because he had a great weekend at Le Mans,” Sky Italia quotes Rossi as saying.
“The season is still long, and he probably won't be racing for Ducati again next year.
“I'd like Ducati to put in the same effort as Pecco to try to get back to the front.
“Like in a marriage where you love each other so much, when bad things happen like last year, and the results don't come, Pecco made some comments... I see that tempers have cooled a bit.
“But he's trying, and I hope everyone at Ducati is trying too, because I think the potential to win again is there."
Told of those words, Bagnaia, who rode from 13th on the grid to sixth in the Catalunya Sprint, responded:
"I thought I gave it my all [last year], but this year I think I'm giving it my all, a little more. At least, I'm trying in everything I do, and I think we're struggling to get off to a good start because this bike still needs to be understood.
“More than anything, it seems like we don't have a good base setup that works extremely well everywhere, like Diggia managed to find because he's always ahead in every situation.
“We, on the other hand, are struggling a little more. But even today we managed to make another small step, and that's important.”
Bagnaia said his GP26 is turning well at the notoriously slippery Barcelona circuit, but he’s losing out in terms of traction in the early laps.
The Italian is currently ninth in the world championship and ten points behind absent team-mate Marc Marquez.
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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.
