Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati rider, has had a complicated start to the 2026 MotoGP season, with a persistent problem of lack of grip at the rear of his bike affecting him since the first race.
Despite the difficulties, Bagnaia has demonstrated his quality with four consecutive podiums and a sprint victory in recent months. However, three technical issues have caused him to lose 40 points, and he currently sits in eighth place in the championship, 65 points behind the leader, Jorge Martin.
According to the Italian rider, his main concern remains the lack of grip on the rear wheel, which prevents him from extracting the maximum performance from his Ducati. This problem has been exacerbated by the need to compensate for the limitations of the front of the bike, relying more on the wear of the rear tire.
“I am not happy with the current situation. I know what we could achieve and that we are not doing it, and that frustrates me,” Bagnaia expressed, who rated his season so far with a 5.5. “The lack of grip on the rear makes it difficult for me to turn the bike and accelerate.”
Bagnaia hopes that the Ducati team can learn from what Gresini has achieved, who solved a similar problem with Alex Marquez during the initial competitions of the season.
The 29-year-old rider has recently undergone surgery on his right forearm, but he hopes to recover in time to participate in the next race at Silverstone, which will take place on August 8. This season will be his last with Ducati, as his move to Aprilia for 2027 has been confirmed, where he will join Marco Bezzecchi.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
