“One of my lowest points” - Pecco Bagnaia’s frank MotoGP admission after Aragon

Pecco Bagnaia admits he is going through “one of my lowest points on a sporting level” in MotoGP, as his struggles on the 2026 Ducati have worsened in recent races.

The double world champion endured a tough Aragon Grand Prix, as he dropped out of the points in the sprint in 11th and crashed during Sunday’s main race.

Heading into the summer break on a run of four successive podiums, Pecco Bagnaia’s form has dropped off a cliff since racing resumed last month at Silverstone.

Battling rear grip issues all year on the GP26, these issues have worsened over the last two rounds without an explanation.

Speaking to Sky Italy after the Aragon race, Bagnaia gave a blunt response to his current situation.

“It's hard to accept, though, because I think this is one of my lowest points on a sporting level,” he said.

“I come here to the races and do my best, but that only allows me to finish 12th or 10th.

“But I can clearly see from the data and my feeling that I'm not riding the bike and I'm being carried around because when I try to do something more, I still crash, and even going slowly, I still crash.

“Fortunately, the data is there, but I also have my awareness, and that's something that makes me happy because all the difficulties, all the things I can't do, even looking at the data of the other Ducati riders, I could easily do a few years ago.

“So that's definitely something I know I haven't lost, but right now I just can't perform as I expect.”

Bagnaia told the written media after the Aragon race that his grip struggles are such that “I can’t imagine” what he will face at tracks with slippery asphalt.

“I’m an incurable optimist”

Despite his issues, Bagnaia still comes to races “with the feeling in my head that the bike is following me”, and heads to Misano next week “with all the motivation in the world”.

“More than anything, I'm an incurable optimist, and I leave home with the feeling in my head that the bike is following me, that I can ride naturally, and I try to do my best,” he added.

“Then, unfortunately, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, and lately, especially in the last two races, something strange has happened because I just can't go anymore.

“So I'm coming to Misano with all the motivation in the world; we're on a track I know well.

“It'll be incredibly difficult because if the situation is like this at Misano, it really becomes even more difficult, but we'll give it our all.”