Ducati let down by the brakes, Bagnaia: "The GP26 is down on performance

Pecco Bagnaia managed to cross the finish line of the Austrian GP in seventh place, after a weekend dealing with a braking issue. Still limited by his physical condition following the surgery he underwent a month ago, the two-time MotoGP champion analyzes the Red Bull Ring race, the duel with Marc Marquez, and the drop in performance of the Desmosedici GP26 on a historically favorable circuit.

It was supposed to be almost a walk in the park for Ducati, but instead KTM took the win, joined on the podium by the two Aprilias. Things immediately got tougher for the Reds from Borgo Panigale due to a brake problem. "I finally made it to the finish. Unfortunately, I had a small issue with the brakes. Luckily I managed to sort it out, also thanks to the operation I had a month ago. I didn’t have grip and it was hard to steer because the bike wasn’t decelerating the way I wanted, and I had trouble getting into the corners. Anyway, for the first time, I managed to stay close to the other two Ducatis."

On a track where hard braking is crucial, Pecco Bagnaia managed to reduce the gap to his brand-mates, despite some mild physical discomfort affecting the Chivasso rider. "I’ve got a bit of a sore throat, maybe because it was a bit cold this morning. But nothing serious. This track puts the brakes under a lot of pressure, and they felt good to me. I got a good start, then when some riders began to overtake me, I tried to pick up the pace to keep things consistent. I think it was a good strategy because I couldn’t do more, and I still managed to stay close to the others."

This MotoGP weekend, the drop in performance of the Ducati Desmosedici has been clear for all to see. Data from previous years is telling: it has lost speed in the initial throttle phase, in mid-corner, and in the final entry phase. "We’ve lost a lot of potential on this circuit. And it’s a pity not to have made the most of the positives we had." Figures that Ducati’s engineers from Emilia will have plenty to reflect on and work with.

One of the highlights of the Austrian GP was a showdown between Bagnaia and Marquez. "I tried, but he had something extra. The important thing is to stay as far forward as possible, but also to finish the race. If I have to give 100%, I do it, but in situations where I could avoid taking risks, I did." Unfortunately, the problem with the front brake lever significantly hampered his Sunday race—the same flaw that also affected the nine-time world champion. "Yeah... for me it came very close; three times it came all the way to my hand and I had to push it away."

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