DUCATI HOPES BAGNAIA CAN END FACTORY SPELL WITH A STRONG RESULT

Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali hopes Pecco Bagnaia can end his long association with the factory on a high note, with the Italian’s final races before his move to Aprilia offering a chance to add one more strong result to a remarkable record.

Bagnaia has spent all eight of his MotoGP seasons with Ducati, winning two world championships and 31 races. He is the team’s most successful premier-class rider, but this season has been difficult: his last victory came more than a year ago, he has not reached the podium since the summer break and he is ninth in the standings. The Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, a circuit where he has traditionally been strong, was seen by some as his last major opportunity to impress on the Desmosedici.

Domenicali said he does not believe Bagnaia lacks either ability or a good relationship with the team. “We haven’t been able to find the key to this mess that’s gotten a bit stuck,” he said, while recalling the rider’s title-winning campaigns in 2022 and 2023 and his 11 victories in 2024. “He’s a guy I’m extremely fond of.”

The Ducati chief acknowledged that a rider and team can sometimes become stuck despite their strengths. He hopes Bagnaia can produce a good result at one of the remaining rounds in Qatar, Portimao or Valencia, calling that the ideal way to bring their partnership to a close. Their time together, he said, has delivered two world titles for both rider and manufacturer, and the team will continue working together to do its best.

Bagnaia is set to join Aprilia, while Pedro Acosta will take his place at Ducati next season. Meanwhile, Bagnaia’s current team-mate Marc Marquez has his first opportunity to secure the 2026 championship in Qatar this weekend.