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MotoGP veteran says Bagnaia suffering same fate as Valentino Rossi’s team-mates
Veteran MotoGP team boss Herve Poncharal believes there is no real reason for Pecco Bagnaia to have struggled in 2025, following his strong performances in previous seasons.
Despite winning two MotoGP titles in 2022 and 2023, and 11 grands prix in 2024, Bagnaia had a challenging season with only two wins and no points in the final five rounds.
The main issue for Bagnaia was a lack of confidence in the front-end of the GP25 bike, particularly due to the new ride height device.
Despite Ducati’s efforts, including a successful Japanese Grand Prix, Bagnaia was unable to consistently perform at the level expected of him.
Poncharal pointed out that Bagnaia still had the best bike on the track, but the dominance of teammate Marc Marquez affected his performance, similar to how Yamaha riders struggled against Valentino Rossi in the past.
Ultimately, Poncharal believes that Bagnaia’s struggles were not justified, given his previous success and the capabilities of both the rider and his team.
