BAGNAIA SAYS HIS CRYPTIC DUCATI REMARK WAS A DELIBERATE DISTRACTION

Pecco Bagnaia has offered a surprising explanation for his cryptic comments about his Ducati after a difficult Malaysian Grand Prix, saying he made them to attract attention while his results have been poor.

The two-time world champion’s form has slumped since the summer break, after earlier podium finishes. At Sepang he came home 13th, and his final lap was slower than Moto2 pace. Afterwards, he said something that had once worked on his bike “doesn’t exist” and “hasn’t existed” since his victory at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi said he did not know what Bagnaia meant.

Asked about the remarks on Thursday ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Bagnaia said: “I can’t get the media to talk about me because of good results, so I looked for another way, and it was a good move.” He added: “People are still talking about it a lot; it worked.”

He is now hoping to make progress at Lusail, where he believes a top-six finish is possible “if I can work well with the team.”

Bagnaia also addressed concerns about travelling to Qatar amid uncertainty over the Iran conflict. He was among 19 riders who signed a letter to MotoGP in Malaysia expressing unease about racing there. The weekend has proceeded without incident, and Bagnaia said he had trusted MotoGP, IRTA and the organisers to address riders’ concerns.

“It’s just as I expected. I can’t hide the fact that I was a bit worried about coming here, but I decided to trust MotoGP, IRTA, and the organisers completely,” he said, adding that he believed they had worked to ensure safety and provide “almost everything we asked for.”

Bagnaia said he expected the paddock to feel normal, while noting that his concern was less about being bombed than the possibility of being stranded if the airport closed. “I trust them,” he said.