Bagnaia Struggles for Grip at Catalunya MotoGP

Pecco Bagnaia admitted he never truly felt capable of securing a direct Q2 place after struggling to unlock enough grip from fresh tyres during Friday practice at the 2026 Catalunya MotoGP. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider ended the session only 12th fastest and will now be forced into Qualifying 1.

In a session where the top ten riders were separated by just 0.269 seconds, Bagnaia finished 0.350s behind pace-setter Pedro Acosta. The minimal gaps placed huge importance on setup precision and tyre activation, especially at the low-grip Barcelona circuit where front tyre degradation remains one of the key technical challenges.

Bagnaia explained that Ducati attempted several setup changes throughout Friday, but the adjustments ultimately made the GP26 more difficult to control on fresh tyres during time attacks. According to the Italian, the bike actually felt more stable and predictable on used tyres than on new rubber.

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"Yes, the lack of grip is well known here. I struggled a lot to exploit it, mostly trying to figure out where to find it," Bagnaia told Sky Italia.

"We made some changes that didn't quite go the way we'd hoped, so I struggled a bit more. More than anything, with used tyres I can almost be faster than with new ones; I can be more consistent," the double MotoGP world champion added.

From a technical perspective, the issue suggests Ducati is still searching for the ideal front-end load balance on the GP26, particularly for single-lap performance. Catalunya remains one of the most demanding circuits for front tyre temperature management due to its combination of long, high-speed corners and heavy braking zones through the final sector.

Bagnaia said the bike improved slightly during the final run after further setup revisions, but the progress was still not enough to break into the top ten. The extremely close competitive margin across the grid meant even small performance limitations became decisive.

"We're all extremely close, so we couldn't even think of getting into Q2 after a session like that. But overall we've made a small step forward; we just need to be faster with the new tyres," Bagnaia explained.

The situation also creates additional pressure for Ducati because Bagnaia is the factory team’s sole representative this weekend following Marc Marquez's absence after shoulder and foot surgery. Meanwhile, VR46 Racing Team rider Fabio Di Giannantonio emerged as the leading Ducati rider on Friday in sixth position.

With Qualifying 1 now awaiting him, Bagnaia faces a more complicated path for both the sprint race and Sunday’s grand prix. Ducati is expected to focus heavily on improving fresh tyre activation and front-end stability before Saturday qualifying begins.