Marc Marquez's season proves Ducati remains the strongest in MotoGP
Despite the success of other brands, Francesco Bagnaia asserts that the Ducati Desmosedici GP is still the best bike in MotoGP. Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi secured his second win of the season in Portugal, while Honda has achieved podium finishes twice in the last five races with Joan Mir. Pedro Acosta has also become a consistent podium threat, trailing Bagnaia by only three points in the riders' standings.
However, Bagnaia believes that Marc Marquez's performance, who has been absent due to injury since Indonesia, demonstrates that the Ducati remains the top bike on the grid.
"I think our bike is the best one," Bagnaia stated during the pre-event press conference ahead of the Valencia MotoGP, when asked about the concessions system's impact on Ducati's development in 2025. "I struggled this season, but in previous seasons, I was consistently competitive and won despite making mistakes."
"This season, with fewer mistakes, Marc won with five races remaining, and I believe our bike is still superior to all others. While more test days could have been beneficial, the rules aim to create a more equal championship."
Bagnaia acknowledges that Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda, and KTM have effectively utilized their testing and wildcard advantages. Despite Ducati's dominance, Bagnaia's season has been challenging, marked by three victories and seven DNFs, contrasting sharply with his 11 main race wins in 2024.
"I struggled to accept the reality of this season," he admitted. "After four seasons of consistently finishing third, adapting to the 2025 bike proved difficult."
"I gave it my all, but unfortunately, it didn't work. The bike has great potential, as evidenced by Marc's performance. However, I faced numerous challenges."
Bagnaia remains optimistic about learning from the season, emphasizing his efforts to adapt and remain competitive. He is prepared for the current race calendar, even though it is the longest in MotoGP history, with 22 races this year.
"We're ready for anything, and I believe a diverse calendar is fair," Bagnaia said. "We enjoy racing, and racing outside Europe is enjoyable."
Despite the challenges, Bagnaia embraces the experience, looking forward to the 2026 bike and aiming to compete for top positions next year.
