MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia has firmly dismissed suggestions that his 2025 MotoGP struggles stem from sharing a team with Marc Marquez, noting, “I’m having trouble now that Marc is home.” The two-time world champion, grappling with challenges on the GP25, insists his issues persist despite Marquez’s absence due to injury.
Bagnaia’s season has been tough, with a noticeable dip in form post-summer break. Despite a win at the Japanese Grand Prix, he went pointless in three of the last four rounds, failing to build on his Motegi success. With reigning champion Marquez sidelined for the season, Bagnaia faces added pressure to lead Ducati’s charge, but he refutes claims echoed even by mentor Valentino Rossi—that Marquez’s presence caused his downturn.
“I can say what I want, but people can believe it or not,” Bagnaia told Sky Italy at the 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix. “I was having trouble before when he was on the track; I’m having trouble now that Marc is home. Honestly, the problems are different.” He emphasized that technical issues, not teammate dynamics, are the root of his challenges, particularly stability and traction issues that worsened since the Austrian sprint.
Bagnaia’s Malaysian weekend started poorly, finishing 12th in practice and missing direct Q2 qualification. Yet, he sensed improvement. “Today, there was a bit of chaos at the end of the session and we didn’t make it to Q2,” he said. “But after the last two weekends, it was still difficult to think about getting back in. We’ve made a small step forward; in fact, we were quite far ahead in both sessions, even though what happened then happened.”
He pinpointed issues in Sepang’s final sector. “In the last sector, for some reason, I can’t get the throttle open, either in Turns 14 or 15. When I get on the gas, I can’t get any traction, but it all starts from the entrance [to the corner] because I’m struggling to get the bike to turn,” he explained. “Generally, the movements are something we’ve been carrying around since the beginning of the year; sometimes there’s more, sometimes less. Unfortunately, they’ve been hindering us a lot lately.”
Facing a stacked Q1 with riders like Marco Bezzecchi and Fermin Aldeguer, Bagnaia must address technical woes to return to the front. Sportrik’s in-depth analysis suggests his small step forward in Sepang is encouraging, but resolving bike stability is critical for Ducati’s hopes in the 2025 season’s final races.
Marquez’s absence places greater responsibility on Bagnaia while offering a chance to prove his struggles are unrelated to team dynamics. Sunday’s race, with potential rain at Sepang, will test his ability to manage the bike under pressure.
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