Francesco Bagnaia ended Friday practice at Misano with a gloomy expression. Nineteenth place is hardly fitting for a double world champion, especially when he only outpaced Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu on the Pramac machines. Through every corner, Bagnaia's struggles with the GP26 were glaring: the rear slid on entry, and as soon as he opened the throttle, the front threatened to close. It was a scene reminiscent of his 2025 woes.
“It feels like my bike is doing strange things, and we don't really understand why. For three races now the engine brake has been odd, and it's very difficult to sense rear grip. I've never had this all year, but now the bike is very nervous and hard to ride,” Bagnaia told Sky Sport MotoGP. He also admitted he couldn't feel any difference from the setup changes tried. “I'm working hard and looking for a solution. I don't know if there is one, but we're trying.”
Bagnaia didn't deny the gap to the others is stark. “From braking to entry, apex to exit, the difference is extremely clear. But for some reason, we can't replicate how the other bikes work,” he added. He revealed that various setups and tunings have been tested, yet none restored performance. “Up to Sachsenring, even though I wasn't 100% happy, we could more or less stay at the front. But in these last three races I've crashed a lot, and today I took countless risks just to go that slowly. We don't understand which direction to take.”
This crisis is not just about results; it's about confidence. Bagnaia, known for his smooth and precise style, now looks frustrated. He hopes at least to make it into Q2 in Saturday's qualifying to start from a better position. However, with such uncompetitive pace, that hope feels heavy. Ducati must quickly find the root cause, as the championship slips further away.
Looking at the standings, Bagnaia's position isn't disastrous yet, but the downward trend is worrying. He needs a miracle to bounce back, and time is running out. Misano, usually a second home for Ducati, has become the toughest test. Will Bagnaia and his team find answers before Sunday's race? We'll have to wait and see.
Baca Juga
Marco Bezzecchi tak khawatir dengan kesulitan Jorge Martin dan pembalap Aprilia lain di latihan MotoGP San Marino. Simak analisis lengkapnya.
Bagnaia keluhkan freno motore aneh pada Ducati GP26 setelah finis ke-19 di Misano. Krisis performa berlanjut, harapan Q2 jadi target realistis.
Francesco Bagnaia mengaku membalap defensif untuk hindari crash di MotoGP Misano. Krisis kepercayaan diri berlanjut, finis ke-19 di Practice.
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