Pecco Bagnaia: toward the 2026 season, optimism is sky-high

Pecco Bagnaia smiles after the signals that Ducati returned to him in the pre-season tests in Buriram, where he became competitive again giving the impression that he has finally put behind him the colossal problems that had affected him throughout the 2025 season. Author of the fourth fastest time at the end of the second day in Thailand, the Piedmontese rider has been working extensively on’set-up and aerodynamics. And his sensations, finally, seem very good.

Marco Enzo Venturini

“We managed to work really well – commented Bagnaia at the end of the day -We completed the entire program, we tested all the new components, and the base of the bike for 2026 leaves me largely satisfied. I noticed that all of us Ducati riders made the same choices on the technical package, which is good. The’only small problem came in the race simulation, but better here than when the season starts. It was a crucial test, and now I am very positive”.

In the past few days, the catchphrase about Bagnaia’s contract with Ducati has also held sway. There has been no shortage of questions about his future, with rumors bringing him closer to the’Aprilia for 2027, where he could race alongside Marco Bezzecchi. Despite the various hypotheses, Pecco preferred not to speak directly about his decision, but left an important clue: “It is right that there are rumors. The job of journalists is to be able to give news, but in a few days many announcements of many teams will come out and mine” he said, letting himself go with a smile.

When asked if his future was already decided, Bagnaia replied: “I just decided and followed my instincts, I chose what I thought was right for me”. His future, then, will remain an unknown at least until the first Gp of the season, but the’Aprilia hypothesis is getting stronger and stronger. Meanwhile, Pecco remains focused on working with Ducati for a 2026 in which he wants to be a protagonist.

A topic about which Bezzecchi himself has clear ideas: “First of all, I say that these are things that do not concern me much – said the Romagnolo to the official channels of MotoGP -. My job is to race motorcycles, regardless of my teammate. You can pair me with anyone, in the end I do what I have to. I don”t care much about it.