Pecco Bagnaia in the Maldives: relaxing before an important test

Pecco Bagnaia is in the Maldives with his better half, Domizia Castagnini. The Ducati rider is recharging his batteries ahead of the next MotoGP season. It will be a decisive year for the Piedmontese rider. He not only needs to rediscover the feeling with the Desmosedici, but also start strong right away to secure a good position in the rider market.

A “sweet escape” to the Maldives for Pecco and Domizia, after a truly complicated 2025 on the racing front. The two-time MotoGP champion managed only two wins and finished fifth in the final standings, behind Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, and Pedro Acosta. It’s not an easy situation for Bagnaia, who will need to renegotiate the trust of Borgo Panigale, with a contract expiring at the end of 2026. He has sworn eternal love to the brand’s colors... But will Ducati reconfirm unconditional trust in him, regardless of the results?

The VR46 Academy pupil is at the center of attention among insiders. The core issue remains the poor feeling with the front end of the Red. “Pecco’s story this year was tough for me to watch,” said former MotoGP rider Sylvain Guintoli. “You could see he was really struggling and suffering. It wasn’t nice to see, because Pecco is a fantastic rider.”

Sharing the garage with Marc Marquez has certainly weighed on the Italian’s psychology. On one hand, the Spaniard adapted better to the GP25; on the other, he converted that confidence into a MotoGP title won with remarkable ease. For Bagnaia there are no excuses—psychological backlash is inevitable. Hence Jorge Lorenzo’s suggestion in the pages of Moto.it: consult a sports psychologist.

Pecco Bagnaia has also become a case within the Ducati garage. The Emilian brand can certainly boast the 2025 Triple Crown and remains at the top of the premier class, no ifs or buts. But the performances of the Chivasso rider leave an indelible stain on the excellent MotoGP season just concluded. “Things should have gone differently,” admitted Gigi Dall’Igna. “But when you add bad luck to all of this, everything becomes much more difficult, both for the team and for the rider.”

The winter break will be decisive, both for the rider and the team. Pecco will need to reset mentally and physically ahead of the next World Championship. The team will have to provide technical answers not only to Bagnaia, but also to the likes of Di Giannantonio, Morbidelli and, from 2026, also to Alex Marquez. “We will inevitably face big unknowns, so it’s better to learn from what happened in our recent past.”