Pecco Bagnaia, a lost superhero: "You need to be afraid"

Pecco Bagnaia arrives in front of his home crowd after a MotoGP season start that’s anything but exciting. Eighth in the riders’ standings, with a haul of 63 points and 79 lengths behind the leader and future garage mate Bezzecchi. The VR46 Academy pupil is gradually finding his balance on the Ducati again, but he has to reckon with a truly ferocious Aprilia.

The rider from Chivasso has lost a bit of confidence after that MotoGP title slipped away in 2024 at the final Grand Prix. The arrival of Marc Marquez seems to have accentuated his rough patch with the Desmosedici GP—or perhaps it’s just a coincidence. The fact remains that his performances have clearly dipped since last year, so much so that in Borgo Panigale they’ve decided to let him go at the end of the championship. A dream marriage that risks ending on a bitter note, unless Pecco can straighten out his form on track.

And yet it seemed that the story between Ducati and Bagnaia would close with a happy ending, with a lifetime contract that instead evaporated over the course of a season. “When I started racing, I always dreamed of joining Ducati and winning the title with them. And we did it,” the 29-year-old from Piedmont told MotoGP.com. “It’s been a while since I found myself in that situation. I miss it a lot. I’ve lost a lot of confidence in myself and on the bike. But there’s no other option. It’s part of the journey, and I know we’ll get back to that situation; I just have to believe it.”

Being a rider requires sacrifice, the ability to handle stress, and complete harmony with those around you. Starting with the crew chief and the technicians in the garage every weekend, as well as your closest friends and family. “When you race, the people who sacrifice the most are the ones around you, because it’s my passion... To reach the top you have to be focused, and the people close to you need to understand that... When I’m on track and drop the visor, I become more aggressive. I bring out a part of me that stays hidden in everyday life.”

You need grit, massive doses of adrenaline, but also calm and a cool head. MotoGP is a spectacular, heart-pounding sport, but risk is always lurking just around the corner. “You need to be afraid when you ride. You need to know where the limit is, and for me the limit is fear, because you know very well that if you run off the track, you start to fear getting hurt. So fear is an important part of our world, and we need it to know where the limit is.”

Feelings and states of mind that Pecco Bagnaia now knows all too well. But there’s also the positive side of the coin, when good results arrive and catapult you into a state of unparalleled satisfaction. “When you set the fastest time in qualifying, when you do everything perfectly, you still feel a huge rush and you feel like a superhero.”

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