Jorge Martin believes that his 2024 championship competitor Francesco Bagnaia is struggling with confidence in Ducati’s MotoGP bike this season, particularly after closely following him during the Catalan Grand Prix sprint.
After facing difficulties in Austria and Hungary post-summer break, factory Ducati rider Bagnaia hit a new low with a 14th place finish in Barcelona’s half-distance race. This came after he qualified a disappointing 21st, just ahead of injury-returning Maverick Vinales and wildcard entries Lorenzo Savadori and Somkiat Chantra.
Bagnaia attributed his current struggles to a poor fit with the GP25, noting that he was 12 seconds slower during this year’s Austrian Grand Prix in comparison to his victorious performance last year. Yet, with Marc Marquez continuously winning races and Alex Marquez performing well on the Gresini Ducati, questions arise regarding whether Bagnaia’s issues are entirely related to the bike.
Commenting on this situation, Martin remarked that Bagnaia appears to lack the confidence he had during their previous battles for the 2024 title. “It’s tough to analyze from the outside; you need to talk to Pecco. I hope he can get through this phase,” he said. “You can tell from his bike control that he lacks confidence. He was ahead of me for a few corners, but he is not the same Pecco.”
Martin further detailed how Bagnaia’s once-dominating braking technique has changed, saying, “He used to brake very aggressively, making it hard to overtake. Now, the situation is different. I really hope he finds his way back, as he is a remarkable champion.”
Ducati’s general manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, echoed Martin’s observations, stating that Bagnaia does not possess the same confidence that Marquez has achieved through consistent victories this year. “It’s predominantly about the confidence with the bike, which varies greatly,” he explained. “While Marc has been performing excellently, Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio have faced difficulties, especially at the beginning of the championship, and need to rebuild their confidence.
On Saturday, Ducati celebrated their sixth consecutive constructors’ trophy, continuing a streak that began in 2020. In response to the question of nearly single-handedly securing the manufacturers’ title for Ducati, Marquez expressed hope that Bagnaia can soon return to the front of the grid. “I experienced this with Honda back in 2019,” he commented. “But I just strive to give my best. It would benefit the team and the bike for Pecco to return in the upcoming races, as his performance is crucial for future developments.”
