DUCATI BOSS SAYS THERE IS NO TRUST ISSUE WITH BAGNAIA AFTER “OLD THINGS” REMARK

Ducati has moved to cool tensions after Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia questioned the direction of the GP26 package, saying he needs “old things” to get his feeling back. Speaking ahead of the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, Ducati MotoGP boss David Tardozzi insisted there is “no problem on trust” between the team and the double world champion, while also acknowledging that the work to restore Bagnaia’s confidence has not yet delivered the desired results.

Bagnaia’s comments came after a difficult run that followed a strong stretch before the summer break. The Italian had put together four consecutive podium finishes, but that momentum was halted in the previous two races. He crashed out of both the British and the Aragon Grands Prix, with Crash.net reporting that his lack of confidence in the front-end of his GP26 Ducati and struggles with rear grip have worsened.

On Thursday at Misano, Bagnaia said he needed “old things” to improve his feeling, adding that Ducati would be leading the way right now if it had four GP24s on the grid. Those remarks prompted a response from Tardozzi, who framed the situation as a continuing development effort rather than a breakdown in communication.

“I think that Pecco has his ideas,” Tardozzi said, before pointing to Ducati’s recent championship success. “But, I mean, Pecco still wants some confidence that this old bike was giving to him, and unfortunately he hasn’t found on that new bike.” He then underlined that Ducati’s focus is on bringing Bagnaia back to the performance window he is looking for, particularly in the areas he has struggled with.

According to Tardozzi, the team is targeting the sensations that matter most for Bagnaia’s riding style: “we are trying hard to bring him back that feeling, which is mainly on the front and on the corner speed.” He added that the goal is to recover that confidence at Misano, a circuit where Bagnaia is known to be quick: “it seems that we haven’t done that yet. We are trying to bring back that feeling for him, mainly here at Misano where we know that he is very fast.”

Tardozzi also addressed the broader context of Ducati’s season, noting that the GP26 situation is unfolding alongside Marc Marquez’s strong results despite his own physical limitations. Marquez has won four grands prix this season while still below his physical best due to an ongoing shoulder issue, and he is reported to be 19 points from the championship lead.

Asked about Bagnaia’s “old things” message, Tardozzi stressed that the relationship between rider and manufacturer remains intact. “What I’m sure is that there is no problem on trust between Ducati and Pecco, both ways,” he said. “I know because daily I speak with him and I know that there is no problems between us.”

He concluded by reiterating that Ducati will keep working with Bagnaia through the end of the campaign: “He knows perfectly that we are trying hard to help him, and he knows perfectly we will try hard with him until the last lap of the last race.”

Bagnaia’s weekend at Misano has also reflected the ongoing challenge. Crash.net reported that he ended Friday practice 19th and in Q1 for the fourth successive round, underscoring that the search for confidence in the GP26—especially at the front and in corner speed—remains a work in progress.