BAGNAIA FEARS REAR-GRIP TROUBLE AT PHILLIP ISLAND

Francesco Bagnaia is bracing for a difficult Australian Grand Prix, with Phillip Island’s fast, flowing layout likely to expose a rear-grip problem that has troubled him throughout the 2026 season. The circuit hosts its final MotoGP round on October 23–25 before the Australian Grand Prix moves to a new street track in Adelaide next year.

Bagnaia said the lack of traction has been a persistent issue with his Ducati GP26. “I’m in a situation where, since the beginning of the year, I’ve completely lacked grip on the rear wheel. So, this could be very problematic there,” he told Motorsport.com’s Spanish edition. “I hope we can do something to make the bike work, at least like the others.”

The two-time champion has struggled to turn that concern into consistent results. He ranks ninth in the standings, six points behind Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez, who is eighth. Bagnaia is the lowest-placed rider among those using the GP26: Marc Marquez is second, while Fabio Di Giannantonio sits sixth.

The problem has followed Bagnaia across a range of circuits. He first described the lack of rear grip as “strange” after the Brazilian Grand Prix in March, where it appeared during the races. He later said he had not expected it to affect him at Brno, despite the circuit’s high grip levels. A summer break did not resolve the issue, and the difficulty was also evident at Silverstone.

Bagnaia’s recent form adds to the concern. The British Grand Prix began a run of three consecutive retirements, interrupted by seventh place in Austria and eighth in Japan. He then crashed out of the Indonesian Grand Prix, leaving him with only three finishes in the past eight rounds. After that crash, he said he had “demanded too much” from the Ducati.

Phillip Island has not been a winning venue for Bagnaia in any class. His best result there was second in 2023; he finished third in 2022 and fourth in 2019. He crashed out of last year’s Australian Grand Prix, which was also one of six races he failed to finish across the final seven rounds of the 2025 season. With the circuit’s farewell race approaching, Bagnaia is hoping Ducati can find a way to give him the rear grip he needs.