Francesco Bagnaia says the winter break has allowed him to carry out a “full reset”, as he targets a renewed title problem in opposition to Marc Marquez in MotoGP this 12 months.
Bagnaia’s troublesome 2025 marketing campaign was one of many main speaking factors of the season, with the three-time world champion even struggling to complete contained in the factors or qualify inside the prime 12 on a number of events.
His outcomes have been thrown into sharper focus by new Ducati team-mate Marquez, who dominated on the GP25 and wrapped up the championship with 5 rounds remaining.
Talking at Ducati’s season launch on Monday, Bagnaia appeared visibly refreshed, explaining why he thinks he has the potential to take the struggle to MotoGP’s in-form man in 2026.
“I simply had a vacation with my spouse to fully reset. Then we began fairly quickly to work once more within the health club and analyse issues,” the 29-year-old instructed media together with Motorsport.com.
“I believe [the break] was tremendous helpful, I attempted to disconnect extra in comparison with the previous, and to have extra time to consider myself, on what to do.
“Final 12 months was tough for me in lots of conditions. Possibly I wasn’t used to struggling that a lot, so it was vital to rewatch the whole lot and attempt to perceive what the ‘reference’ was doing higher.
“Marc was doing higher in some conditions whereas in quali I used to be nonetheless struggling, so I attempt to analyse issues higher and see if I can perceive one thing.”
Marc Marquez, Ducati Staff, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Staff, Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Staff
Photograph by: Ducati Corse
Pressed additional on what he wish to obtain in life, each on- and off-track, he added: “I am already tremendous fortunate in life, so proceed having fun with.
“At this second, I simply wish to struggle within the championship extra, not like final 12 months. I put the potential to make Marc’s life extra arduous, not like final 12 months.
“However in life I am already tremendous fortunate, so I’ve nothing extra to ask.”
Bagnaia additionally mirrored on how his mindset advanced following a 2025 season during which he admitted he was usually too important of himself.
The Italian spent important time coaching at his mentor Valentino Rossi’s ranch in Tavullia, Italy, over the winter, with Rossi’s personal difficulties offering him with a helpful perspective.
“My two references on this interval usually are Vale and Carlo [Casabianca], who’s my coach,” mentioned Bagnaia.
“They’ve lived by each type of state of affairs prior to now. Vale had very troublesome moments prior to now and Carlo was with him in these moments, like Uccio [Salucci].
“One factor that I can say is that you simply simply should be pleased and benefit from the moments, since you by no means know. I spent 4 seasons on the prime, [finishing] first and second within the championship, and final 12 months I used to be struggling a bit and I did not obtain what I used to be aiming for.
“After I was arriving third or typically fourth, I used to be too important with myself, and typically you simply have to take the constructive from the state of affairs and simply attempt to analyse issues higher.
“Even when I used to be in a wrestle, I needed to win, and if you’re struggling, it’s troublesome to win. So that you simply should be extra calm, work properly and attempt to carry out in a greater manner, even if you’re struggling. That is one thing that I attempted to work on.”
We would like your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
– The Motorsport.com Staff
