After a grueling battle that noticed him lose the 2024 championship to Jorge Martin, Francesco Bagnaia is gearing up for what might be the struggle of his profession in MotoGP. Ducati made the daring resolution to pair Bagnaia with eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez on the Manufacturing unit Staff, making a duo with a mixed eight premier class Grand Prix titles at the very best staff in MotoGP.
The early section of the season hasn’t been clean crusing for Bagnaia. Throughout pre-season testing, Pecco struggled to seek out the identical feeling that helped him safe 11 Grand Prix victories the earlier yr. The event of the ‘25 bike hasn’t been a lot assist both, as Ducati opted to stay with the GP24 engine, amongst different parts. Because of this, Bagnaia discovered himself enjoying catch-up to Marquez, who stormed into the Ducati storage and shortly asserted his dominance.
This grew to become evident from the get go, as Marc Marquez dominated the Thai Grand Prix, securing pole, the Dash Race victory, and the Grand Prix win. However, Bagnaia struggled to match #93’s tempo, even behind Ducati satellite tv for pc rider Alex Marquez, who was driving final yr’s GP24 with Gresini Ducati.
The scenario worsened for Bagnaia in Argentina, the place he completed third within the Dash Race — once more behind Marc and Alex Marquez — and fourth within the Grand Prix. The Italian discovered himself in a dire scenario following the weekend, even contemplating a return to the 2024 bike. Nonetheless, he later clarified that he was merely on the lookout for the sensation with the bike, not a whole change again to the GP24 spec.
Bagnaia lastly discovered a breakthrough in Austin on the Americas Grand Prix. Regardless of barely hanging onto a top-10 place—and a direct Q2 spot — throughout Friday apply, in typical Bagnaia style, he was capable of finding enhancements all through the weekend.
After certified within the second row, Bagnaia managed to make a powerful begin on the Dash Race, preventing with Marc Marquez for the primary time this season. Regardless of ending third as soon as once more behind the Marquez brothers, the quick race exhibits that #93 was not out of attain.
Come Sunday’s Grand Prix, Bagnaia took one other step ahead, passing Alex Marquez and changing into Marc’s major rival within the race. Finally, Marquez made a mistake whereas controlling the race, gifting Pecco the win.
Bagnaia himself acknowledged that his wins had been a results of Marc Marquez crashing, and he is aware of he must beat #93 outright. Nonetheless, there’s one constructive signal from Pecco’s begin to the 2025 season.
Finest begin of the season?
After three rounds, Bagnaia sits in third place within the MotoGP rider standings with 75 factors. 12 factors behind Alex Marquez and 11 factors behind Marc Marquez, with 19 rounds to play for this season.
Bagnaia continues to be thought-about as one of many major contenders for the 2025 MotoGP title, though his credibility was questioned after two disappointing rounds, given the excessive expectations main as much as the season.
Nonetheless, there’s one fascinating element that exhibits Bagnaia is definitely having his strongest begin to the season. As seen within the desk beneath, the Italian has the best factors tally after three rounds in comparison with his final two seasons.
| Francesco Bagnaia’s Factors Tally – First Three Spherical | |||||
| 12 months | Race | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Factors |
| 2023 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 53 |
| 2024 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 50 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 75 |
In comparison with 2023 (53) and 2024 (50), Bagnaia has managed to rack up round 50% extra factors within the first three rounds of 2025 (75). The important thing issue behind this enchancment has been his consistency, as he has completed within the prime 4 in all six races held to this point this season.
That is undoubtedly an enormous enchancment for Bagnaia, whose title bid final yr faltered on account of an abysmal 8 DNFs—5 of them in Saturday Dash Races—regardless of profitable 11 Grand Prix.
How’s the probabilities for the remainder of the season?
To say that the momentum within the title struggle has swung in Bagnaia’s favor is an understatement, as Marc Marquez continues to be very a lot the person to beat this season. Certain sufficient, he’ll come again even stronger after his mistake at COTA, a race he ought to have received comfortably.
Francesco Bagnaia, 2025 Americas MotoGP at COTA
However after racking strong factors within the first three rounds at a circuit the place he used to wrestle, Bagnaia will put extra strain on Marc Marquez’s camp because the season progresses. All he wants is to get again to the sensation he had with the ’24 bike, one thing he supposedly skilled throughout the COTA weekend.
Bagnaia has additionally realized from his failure final yr that securing strong factors week in, week out, is essential within the title struggle — one thing he has tried to emulate this yr from the primary three rounds.
Marc Marquez continues to be the favourite for the title this season, however by no means rely Bagnaia out.
