Pecco Bagnaia has admitted he is convinced that the solution to his Ducati GP26 woes is not new parts but 'old things' he knows he cannot have. The Italian rider spoke candidly ahead of the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, describing this period as the worst of his career after a string of disappointing results.
Bagnaia has struggled to adapt to the 2026 Ducati, particularly with a lack of grip. The issue has worsened since the summer break, with crashes at Silverstone and Aragon. "As I said in Aragon, it's surely the worst period because I know I can do better, but I cannot do it," he said. "I'm struggling to adapt to this bike, and the last two weekends were very difficult."
Despite the challenges, Bagnaia remains optimistic and insists the team is working hard. "I'm quite convinced we don't need new things. I'm quite convinced we need old things," he said. "But the bike is this one, and other riders are fast with this one, so it's my problem and I need to adapt to it."
Meanwhile, his Ducati teammate Marc Marquez has been in impressive form, winning his fourth race of the season at Aragon to sit second in the standings, 19 points off the lead. The contrast highlights Bagnaia's struggles.
Bagnaia has repeatedly spoken about being more competitive on the 2024-spec Ducati. Regarding Aprilia's progress, he once again mentioned the potential Ducati had with the 2024 bike. "I'm human," he said when asked about managing frustration. "Frustration is part of this job. It's normal. It's impossible not to be frustrated sometimes, and when you want to win, when you want to stay in front, it's normal that when you are in this situation you get angry, you get frustrated. But it's part of the process, and it will give me motivation to improve."
With the San Marino GP looming, Bagnaia hopes to bounce back and return to his best form. However, he knows the road to recovery won't be easy, especially with the limitations of the current bike.
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