“You will lose the place” - Bagnaia identifies MotoGP’s best starting bike
Pecco Bagnaia believes Honda currently has the most effective launch package on the MotoGP grid.
Pecco Bagnaia says the best starting machine in MotoGP isn’t a Ducati, Aprilia or KTM.
Instead, it’s the Honda RC213V, a bike that is currently just fourth in the constructors’ standings.
“The reality is that right now, Honda is the one that starts better,” Bagnaia said during the Balaton Park weekend.
“When you are close to a Honda at the start, literally, you will lose the place, your position.”
The Honda’s starting prowess has been known for some time, with factory rider Luca Marini revealing he set a new Honda 0-100km/h record (thought to be under 2.0 seconds) during a practice start at Barcelona last season.
Marini had added that the start time was “much better” than anything he had managed as a VR46 Ducati rider.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, has been struggling with starts on his factory Ducati this season.
“I think we lost the [start] performance compared to 2024. Last year it's true that we were starting quite good, but the bike was wheelieing a lot and this year too,” he said.
“Understanding why is not easy but the thing that we tried on Sunday at Mugello, on electronics side, was better. So maybe from now we will improve our starts...”
Bagnaia went on to suffer more wheelspin at the start of the Hungarian MotoGP, but this time it proved fortunate, keeping him out of the Turn 1 accident.
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.
