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Francesco Bagnaia battles through confusion and tension to Sprint win at Grand Prix Malaysia after tough season
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Published 25/10/2025 at 10:06 GMT+1
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Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia has consistently struggled on the Italian team's 2025 bike, particularly in Sprint races, but at Grand Prix Malaysia he produced a dominant victory on Saturday. The former world champion was not expected to fare well, but was quickest in qualifying and then led from the lights, much to the surprise of himself and observers.
'It gets going, that Ducati!' - Bagnaia retains Sprint lead at Grand Prix Malaysia
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia surprised himself and TNT Sports pundits Neil Hodgson and Michael Laverty as he dominated the Sprint win in Malaysia.
Bagnaia has struggled for much of the season to get the most out of this year’s bike, though there have been rare moments of success.
A double victory at Grand Prix Japan, amid rumours that the bike featured much of the 2024 setup, was meant to herald a return to form for the Italian former world champion, but he immediately began to struggle again.
In practice sessions on Friday and Saturday there was little sign of a resurgence, but then he produced a pole-worthy lap in qualifying and started at the front of the grid in Sepang.
He led from the lights and amassed a healthy lead after just a few laps, and had little trouble in claiming a Sprint race victory.
Given his difficulties this year, particularly in the Saturday events, his win was a shock to many, including Laverty, who remarked on the difference between his practice and competitive performances.
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He told TNT Sports: "It's strange because he didn't have that pace this morning in the Free Practice session, where normally we get a reference of what the lap times are going to be.
"No one was at 1:58:00, and Pecco smashed [it] and eked out a comfortable margin. Even if he is digging deep, and is as confused as the Ducati engineers as to why one week he's horrendous, crashing off, back of the race, then in Sprint races - where he couldn't perform even when he was strong in Europe - he's delivering victories again."
Fellow pundit Hodgson suggested that eventually the root of the problems will leak to the public, but for now there is no clear information as to what is going on this season.
He said: "I'm sure there has been some proper tension down in that garage. You can't help but feel there's finger pointing going on.
"We've got no answers. We will eventually. In this situation, the truth always weasels its way out. Somebody will say something to someone, and before you know it we will find out the truth."
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'We have never seen it from Pecco Bagnaia before' - Ducati rider struggles with weaving bike
Video credit: TNT Sports
Bagnaia struggling 'to understand the situation'
In his post-race interview, Bagnaia would not be drawn on saying whether he was "back" after previous false dawns, and also suggested that he and the team are still struggling to understand how to get consistent results from the bike when he rides it, in contrast to world champion Marc Marquez.
He said: "I will not answer this time. In any case, the team is deserving those results because I think I'm in trouble, and they're in trouble, to understand the situation.
"It's not clear, it's not easy. One week ago, we were struggling. Yesterday I was struggling a bit, today I'm competitive.
"We just need to figure out what this kind of situation is, because I think no one in the past has felt like this. We need to focus to understand the situation and try to work like this weekend. I’m trying something different right now, which is giving me more feeling."
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