Bagnaia and the "almost invisible" problems: Ducati with its back to the wall

Disappointing MotoGP Friday for Bagnaia in Valencia: no top 10, so he will start from Q1. The rider and Tardozzi analyzed the situation.

The Valencian Community Grand Prix did not get off to the best start for Francesco Bagnaia. After the 21st time in an FP1 that wasn’t very meaningful, he finished pre-qualifying with the 14th time, 160 thousandths off tenth (Fabio Quartararo). Once again, something isn’t working very well in the handling of the Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, Pecco offered his analysis of the tough day at the Ricardo Tormo circuit: "Nothing different from usual, to be honest. We’re struggling, we’re working. Unfortunately, today we didn’t work in the right direction and it went the way it went. I knew that on this track we would struggle, because here you need a bike that stops well under braking and turns well. Those are two things my bike isn’t doing this year; we need to work and take a step forward tomorrow. In the afternoon I felt a bit better than in FP1, maybe with more grip I’ll be able to make progress."

Bagnaia and Ducati know what isn’t working in terms of riding and feeling, but they can’t quite understand the root cause or the fix to apply: "I’ve been asking for the same thing since the first race - the rider explains - and I’ve only gotten it on a few occasions. I have very clear ideas. Not to sound presumptuous, but I spend a lot of time analyzing data to understand what I can do better. What we’re seeing is a lack of speed especially in the entry phase and when I’m on the throttle; I’m really losing a lot. We’ve tried all season to go in the right direction, but I’ve struggled to give clear indications on what to do with the bike, because I feel almost nothing: under braking I feel the bike slows down little, and on exit, when I get on the gas, it doesn’t hook up at all. It happens no matter what we try; it’s hard to ask for something. I have my ideas and the team knows them perfectly."

On Tuesday, November 18 there’s a test that will be an opportunity to try to make progress, but Pecco isn’t expecting a breakthrough: "For Tuesday the bikes will be the same, it’s unlikely something new will pop up. For next year I truly hope so with all my heart, because it’s very complicated for me. I have to say that things went well in the Malaysia test, I felt good, I managed to do a solid job and I was very happy. Instead, in Thailand it was difficult from day one, we weren’t able to take anything home. That’s where the difficulties started and we haven’t been able to solve almost invisible problems. From the data you only see a lack of feeling on my part, but not what’s actually happening on the bike. That’s why it’s hard for the rider to give indications."

Bagnaia is struggling to ride and struggling to advise on how to improve the Desmosedici GP25: "We can’t figure out why things aren’t working. I don’t know the solution—if I did... I know Ducati well and how I’ve always ridden it; this year it doesn’t work that way anymore and it’s hard to understand why."

Davide Tardozzi, also speaking to Sky Sport MotoGP, said: "It’s not normal to see Pecco in the condition he’s been in for most of the season. Ducati has done everything to give him the confidence that he also doesn’t seem to have found here yet. We’re a bit with our backs against the wall; we’re doing everything and we still haven’t found the key. Even today he complained about the lack of feeling and that cost him 1–2 tenths in T4. He could have been in the top 10, but in that sector he couldn’t perform."

The Ducati team manager believes there’s still a chance to turn around the weekend—and beyond: "I hope we can recover something to get him into Q2 and see him fighting for the podium. Hope never dies, given we know the champion he is. Surely from Monday we’ll be able to work for the new season and we hope to give him something more."

Tardozzi also spoke about Tuesday’s test: "There will be something new, even if not revolutionary. If we had understood the solution, we would have already given it to him some time ago, and very gladly. We’re trying to understand the why and the how, given that we’re not too far from the 2024 solutions. We believe Pecco when he says he feels something different. We haven’t found that thing yet; today in MotoGP if you’re missing a bit of feeling you can’t do what you want."

Would going back to the 2024 Ducati engine help? The Italian team manager doesn’t think that’s the way: "We strongly believe that’s not the issue causing this lack of confidence."