Analysis: Ducati in a real crisis; Bagnaia, estranged within the team, is now their only lifeline

In front of the sea of fans at Le Mans (302,000 spectators), MotoGP gained momentum, offering us a series of themes that could define this championship.

We’re only at the fifth GP out of twenty-two, but the trend is starting to emerge. The French rollercoaster had been Jorge Martin’s hunting ground two years ago with Pramac Ducati, but this double was far more significant. Not only because it marks a return to victory after 588 days and a long series of injuries, but because it gives us back the superstar we feared we had lost. Jorge won the Sprint by leading from the first to the last corner, thanks to a formidable start from the third row. In the GP, however, he charged back like a fury, overtaking talents like Fabio Quartararo (at home...) and Pedro Acosta as if they were cones. Not even Marco Bezzecchi put up resistance: Jorge pounced on him and was gone. There’s just a single point between them in the standings—it’s a fresh start. The Aprilia RS-GP swept the podium even on a track that, on paper, didn’t suit it, so if this continues, the World Championship is a family affair. With equal machinery, Martin made Pecco Bagnaia cry two years ago. For Bez, the resurrection of his garage mate is anything but reassuring.

The Red that used to win in a flurry and risked being almost boring has, in just a few months, become a memory. Aprilia’s overtake, which already showed signs at the end of last season, is taking on staggering proportions. Ducati is now chasing and losing pieces: Marc Marquez was seriously injured in the Sprint and will be absent (at least) from the next GP in Barcelona, Pecco Bagnaia crashed while desperately trying to close the gap to Bezzecchi and fend off Martin’s charge. Even Alex Marquez, who had shaken things up at Jerez with plenty of his own merit, went down. Luigi Dall’Igna and the entire racing department have immense technical knowledge and resources, so they will react. But there’s a catch: if and when the engineers manage to bridge the performance gap, would Ducati have a rider capable of keeping World Championship hopes alive against the rampant Aprilia duo Bez–Martin? With MM93 out of the picture, Ducati is forced to cling to Pecco Bagnaia, long estranged in-house. When MM93 was winning everything, the Piedmontese slipped into the background, to the point of saying goodbye and signing with Aprilia for ’27. But now he’s back to being the only chance, at least until Marc returns to being himself. If that even happens.

Rumors had been swirling for weeks that Fabio Di Giannantonio would go to KTM, turning down the factory Ducati he currently rides and would have continued to have at VR46. Of course, the difference in salary weighs on the choice. After nearly falling out of the loop less than two years ago, Fabio is now one of the top riders, so it’s understandable that he decided to cash in on the magic moment of his career. Moreover, in 2027, with the new technical framework, the balance of power among manufacturers is yet to be written. So it’s a completely understandable choice. The question is: if Ducati today were still the steamroller it was until just a few months ago, would Di Giannantonio still have signed for KTM?

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