VALENTINO ROSSI SAYS DUCATI MISSETTINGS LEFT BAGNAIA STRUGGLING AT MISANO

Valentino Rossi believes Ducati’s setup choices for Francesco Bagnaia’s GP26 at Misano are at the heart of the Italian’s difficult Friday at the San Marino Grand Prix. Bagnaia struggled in timed pre-qualifying practice, finishing P19, with only Pramac’s Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu setting slower lap times. Rossi, watching from trackside, said the pattern of Bagnaia’s problems suggested the bike’s braking and electronics were not matched to Misano’s demands.

Rossi pointed to what he saw as the key moment during the session: at Turn 6, Bagnaia’s front tyre appeared to “almost fold” on turn-in. Rossi noted that Bagnaia’s reaction in the Ducati garage looked like the issue caught him off guard, and that his lack of pace did not improve as the session went on. While other riders on the same GP26 were able to post strong results—Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio all finishing P2, P3 and P4—Bagnaia remained the only Ducati rider to struggle.

Speaking to Sky Sports Italy, Rossi said it was “a shame” for Bagnaia, adding that he could see the reigning champion “struggling quite a bit” and “having a hard time riding.” Rossi explained that Bagnaia’s pace looked promising at the start of the session, but then deteriorated, describing it as if he was “slipping a lot under rear braking.” In Rossi’s view, that behaviour pointed to engine braking and electronics that were “not quite right.”

Rossi also acknowledged that Bagnaia and his team were actively searching for solutions. “When there are difficulties like this, he and his team are obviously trying everything,” Rossi said, noting that they were testing other options as the session progressed. However, Rossi’s impression remained that the fundamental feel under braking was missing.

Misano’s layout, with its short straights and the technical sequence from Turn 6 through to Turn 8, places heavy emphasis on confidence through braking zones and corner entry. The circuit’s challenge is compounded by the need to manage traction and stability through Curvone at Turn 11, and then complete the lap with precision in the more technical corners. Rossi’s comments tied Bagnaia’s trouble to that requirement for trust—especially through braking—suggesting that if the bike’s front-brake feel is not right, it can remove one of Bagnaia’s strongest tools.

Rossi also referenced Bagnaia’s recent history, saying the rider has “often struggled over the past 18 months” to find the correct feeling on the front brake, which has repeatedly limited his performance.