Francesco Bagnaia ‘struggling’ and in ‘negative spiral’ after pointless weekend at Grand Prix San Marino in Misano
Published 14/09/2025 at 22:47 GMT+1
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Francesco Bagnaia has endured a torrid season after slipping well away from title contention. The Italian is trailing in Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez's wake, with the Spaniard on course to claim a seventh world title. With Bagnaia's title challenge in tatters, Ducati Lenovo general manager Luigi Dall’Igna was quizzed about his star rider's recent performances, and hopes the tide will turn.
'I feel the pressure' - Marquez celebrates battling win over Bezzecchi at Grand Prix San Marino
Video credit: TNT Sports
Francesco Bagnaia endured a terrible weekend at the Grand Prix San Marino at Misano after emerging pointless across the two days.
The Italian’s flailing season took two further damaging turns this weekend after following up a 13th-placed finish in the Sprint by crashing out of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Bagnaia lost the front end of his bike and slid into the gravel at Turn 10 whilst in seventh position.
His form is in sharp contrast to that of Ducati Lenovo team-mate Marc Marquez, who is closing in on a seventh world title.
The Spaniard claimed his 99th Grand Prix victory after catching and passing pole setter Marco Bezzecchi.
Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna addressed Bagnaia’s form in an interview with Sky Italia and said: "The situation is definitely delicate with Pecco; he's struggling. As I've said many times before, we'll have to find a way out.
"Tomorrow, we have a test, an important day where we'll have the chance to try out many things. So, let's hope it's a fruitful test."
Dall’Igna also spoke about Bagnaia’s comments that he is "losing patience" with his form, to which he replied: "I've lost my patience too, and Pecco's fans have lost their patience too. It seems quite normal to me that someone can say these things when results aren't coming.
"I think it's normal; we're all human, and we always have to start from this assumption.
"It's very simple: once the negative spiral begins, it always goes downward. So, finding a way to reverse it is always complicated. What I always say is that positivity helps a lot in this."
Bagnaia also spoke in more detail about his poor form on the bike, but gave little away when asked to recount the crash.
"Honestly, I don't know what you want me to say. You could see what happened. I was trying, and I just crashed," he added in an interview with Dorna.
"I analysed things with the team, and now we are working for tomorrow's test, which will be important."
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When speaking about the crash, he added: "Things are better not to say on TV. In any case, the first moment when you crash, you are not very happy."
Bagnaia and Ducati will have a chance to tinker with the bike and try new parts outside of a Grand Prix weekend.
"We will try to find some solutions tomorrow, but it still feels like a long way, because we've been struggling since the start of the season," Bagnaia explained.
Attention will now turn to the Grand Prix of Japan, which takes place between September 26 and September 28.
Marquez leads the standings with 512 points and could win the title later his month, with his brother Alex occupying second place with 330.
Bagnaia is 93 points further adrift in third, and only eight points clear of Bezzecchi after the latter's impressive weekend in Misano.
Bezzecchi was delighted with the consistency he showed across the race weekend, despite coming close to winning Sunday’s race.
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