Pecco Bagnaia takes a jab at Ducati! Tensions are running high on the eve of Misano

On the eve of the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix, Pecco Bagnaia chose words that certainly won’t go unnoticed in the MotoGP paddock. At the circuit dedicated to Marco Simoncelli, the atmosphere is anything but calm: the Piedmontese rider took a direct swipe at Ducati, reigniting a debate that had been simmering since Aragon following criticism from Davide Tardozzi and comments by Gigi Dall’Igna.

Bagnaia, in fact, made no secret of his nostalgia for the GP24, the bike on which he won 11 races in 2024 despite losing the title to Jorge Martin. “The GP24’s potential was unbeatable,” he said bluntly during a media session at Misano. “If there were four GP24s today, we’d be the top four in the World Championship.” According to Pecco, Ducati has lost something along the way over the past two years: “The Aprilias have improved tremendously: if we find something this weekend, we can compete with them. Otherwise, they’re stronger than us.”

Bagnaia, who will be joining Aprilia next season, explained that this isn’t a matter of updates or technical innovations: “I’m convinced we don’t need new things but old ones,” he declared. “But this is the bike we have; other riders manage to be fast, so I have to adapt: the problem is mine.” A statement that blends self-criticism and frustration: the Piedmontese rider reiterated that the current technical package doesn’t allow him to perform as he’d like.

Bagnaia’s comments come amid an already heated situation. After the Aragon Grand Prix, Davide Tardozzi had spoken openly about a “psychological problem” and a lack of confidence, while Gigi Dall’Igna had described the Piedmontese rider’s performance as “the only sour note” in an otherwise perfect weekend, marked by Marc Marquez’s double victory. Now Pecco has responded indirectly, highlighting Ducati’s past potential and questioning its current form. This stance will inevitably fuel the debate.