Pecco Bagnaia Looks Reborn in Qatar: “I Expected This—Here’s Why”

After some very difficult Grands Prix, Aprilia’s future rider is feeling at home in Lusail. He is not getting carried away just yet, but the signs are promising for a good weekend.

Francesco Bagnaia finished the Malaysian Grand Prix feeling deeply frustrated. Not being competitive even at Sepang left him extremely dissatisfied. It had been one of the tracks where he was fastest in 2025, so ending the race outside the top 10 was hard to accept. Some of his post-race comments certainly did not help ease tensions between him and Ducati, either.

Fortunately, in Qatar, Pecco seems to be riding the way he likes again. His fourth-fastest time in Friday’s MotoGP practice is a very encouraging sign. For some reason, at the Lusail International Circuit, he is not experiencing all the limitations that have held him back in other circumstances.

Speaking to Sky Sport MotoGP, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider admitted that he was not too surprised by his performance in Qatar today and explained why: "I’m very happy with the day; we worked well. I have to be honest: I expected this at this track, because its layout, asphalt and grip are similar to Brno. That gives me more support from the rear and means I have fewer grip problems, which is a big help. Once you feel comfortable, you build confidence run after run and understand how to push".

Discussing lap times, Bagnaia named Marco Bezzecchi, his future Aprilia teammate, as the rider to beat in Lusail: "Looking at the lap times, I think Bezzecchi was in a league of his own today on the medium tyre. Those 1:51.7s were incredible. Everyone else was fairly similar. I was happy with my second run on the medium; I did a 1:52.2 on my twelfth lap without really chasing a time, which was very good. We’ll have to see, because maintaining that pace in the race is difficult: the tyre gets very hot, so you have to be careful".

The 29-year-old from Chivasso is pleased with his level today, although he is clearly aiming to improve. In qualifying, it will be crucial to secure a place on one of the first two rows of the grid, so he has a little less to contend with at the start. We’ll see whether he can remain competitive throughout the weekend or whether the strong showing in the opening practice sessions will prove to be a flash in the pan. Pecco seems very confident that he can do well in Qatar; the conditions are working in his favor and should allow him to enjoy a less challenging Grand Prix than the previous ones.

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