Shake-up in the Ducati garage: top-secret conversation between Bagnaia and ‘Diggia’

Ducati continues to show two sides of the same coin. On one hand, Marc Marquez is back at the top of the MotoGP standings; on the other, Pecco Bagnaia is increasingly struggling on the Desmosedici GP26. After months of fluctuating results and increasingly frustrated statements, a conversation between the Piedmontese rider and Di Giannantonio has gone viral for its revealing nature.

Despite the hard work of the Borgo Panigale technicians, Pecco Bagnaia continues to have problems on the Red. The changes aimed at improving the feel on the GP26 have been of no use. Not even the differences between tire compounds seem to alter the sensations on track. "For me, the soft and the medium tires are absolutely identical. The soft tire used in the morning and the one used in qualifying are exactly the same," Bagnaia commented over the Misano weekend.

Di Giannantonio’s response is immediate. The VR46 rider asks whether the issue could be related to the bike’s setup and suggests using a more conventional one. "If you use a normal setup, the baseline one I use..". . But Bagnaia interrupts his compatriot: "They won’t allow me".

The second part of the dialogue is even more surprising. Bagnaia compares the Ducati’s behavior to the sensation of braking with the clutch pulled in. A description he has repeated several times this MotoGP season regarding his lack of confidence with the front end. "It’s like braking with the clutch pulled," emphasized the rider from Chivasso.

Di Giannantonio tries to dig deeper and asks about some aerodynamic elements of the bike. But Pecco reiterates that he has tried practically everything within his reach. "I use what they tell me to use... I’ve tried everything. I’m just saying that for me, the soft and medium tires make no difference."

For months, the two-time MotoGP champion has stressed that he cannot perceive the bike’s limits, especially under braking and at corner entry—two aspects that traditionally represent his strengths. The leak doesn’t clarify the origin of the problem, but it leads to a clear conclusion. Bagnaia believes that something fundamental in the current Ducati prevents him from getting the feedback he needs to ride on the limit.

On the other side of the garage, however, is the standings leader and reigning champion Marc Marquez. With the Misano double win, the Spaniard has drawn level on points with Jorge Martin and looks to the next race in Austria as a chance to begin his solo charge. Are Marc’s experience and talent perhaps the key ingredients to make up for any technical shortcomings?

Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna, at the end of the San Marino GP, acknowledged a weak point of the GP26: the lack of rear grip, especially with the harder compound. "Let’s say we tend to have a bit more difficulty with rear grip compared to others, so it’s an aspect we’ll have to work on. But I remain positive and confident."

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