The Australian rider Casey Stoner has expressed his concern about Francesco Bagnaia’s move to Aprilia after the difficulties experienced with Ducati. Stoner believes that Bagnaia has been unjustly criticized and considers that he has “lowered the quality” of his team, leaving him in a complicated position.
During the 2025 season, Bagnaia suffered a drop in the performance of his vehicle, the Desmosedici, going from being a title contender to having inconsistent performances, with only two victories and several podiums, but struggling with speed in the final phase of the season.
Stoner highlighted that while Bagnaia and his teammate, Fabio di Giannantonio, were struggling to dominate the GP25, his colleague Marc Márquez won the championship with a margin, demonstrating that the bike could compete at the highest level despite their concerns.
The world champion defended Bagnaia, claiming that his complaints were well-founded. According to him, the bike exhibited different behavior compared to its predecessor, a fact that critics had downplayed. “I feel very sorry for Pecco because he has been struggling recently and a lot of people have lost confidence in him,” Stoner declared.
With his new contract, Bagnaia will join Marco Bezzecchi at Aprilia, a step that represents the closure of a relationship that brought Ducati the riders’ title for the first time since 2007. Stoner hopes this change will be beneficial for Bagnaia and allow him to regain his confidence in a new structure.
Stoner’s support underscores the importance of this change for Bagnaia, and the former champion trusts that this new chapter will provide him with renewed motivation and the opportunity to return to his best level.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_3acef3ec9f56b9f4df17e37b407cf383e5c5614a