BAGNAIA’S ARAGON CRASHES HIGHLIGHT MENTAL STRUGGLES, ACCORDING TO ROSSI’S COMMENTS

Francesco Bagnaia’s recent MotoGP run has reignited a debate that Valentino Rossi has long been willing to discuss: even when the Italian rider is praised for his talent, there are moments when his mentality can become a weakness.

The Aragon Grand Prix proved another difficult weekend for Bagnaia. He crashed out early for the second consecutive race after an equally disappointing outing in Silverstone, leaving him to grapple not only with the result but also with the data and information coming out of the crash. The frustration he showed afterward was described as unusually visible for him, highlighting how hard he has been finding it to reconcile his performance with expectations.

Some observers have pointed toward the team environment as a factor in Bagnaia’s dip in form, and Rossi has been linked to that line of thinking as well. However, Rossi’s perspective—shared through comments relayed by Giovanni Zamagni in a livestream context—also included a more personal assessment of Bagnaia’s mindset.

According to Elvio Deganello, Rossi told him that during parts of the 2025 season Bagnaia struggled mentally and psychologically, and that this inevitably affected his speed and results. Deganello explained that Rossi’s view was not simply about machinery or setup, but about how the mental side could cause Bagnaia to slow down at certain points. Deganello quoted Rossi’s message in substance: “Even according to Valentino, there was something that, at a certain point, even mentally and psychologically, caused Pecco to slow down. It’s inevitable. It can’t be explained.”

Bagnaia’s situation is also complicated by physical recovery. The sources note that he has been dealing with back surgery, but despite that context, confidence appears to be eroding as poor results continue to pile up.

With Bagnaia looking ahead to a move to Aprilia in 2027, the current phase is not how he wanted to close out his Ducati chapter. The hope now is that he can find a late lift in form at the San Marino Grand Prix—something that could help restore momentum and give him a better finish to his time with Ducati.