Difficult moment
All the good feelings that had emerged from the pre-season tests for Francesco Bagnaia seem to have melted like snow in the sun in less than two days. After a very difficult second half of 2025, the 2026 World Championship has also started uphill for the three-time Ducati world champion. Bagnaia finished outside the top-10 in pre-qualifying, failed to make the cut from Q1 to Q2 in qualifying and in the Sprint he finished ninth after starting 13th, also benefiting from the crash of his friend (and probably future teammate) Marco Bezzecchi, which effectively allowed him to enter the points zone.
Taking responsibility
Speaking at the end of the short race in Buriram, Bagnaia acknowledged the disappointing outcome of this first part of the weekend but did not look for excuses, taking responsibility for performances below expectations after the tests: “In qualifying I didn’t do a good lap. I had difficulty with the front end entering the corners – he began speaking with the journalists present in Thailand in the traditional post-race media scrum – the conditions compared to the tests have changed a lot, but it’s my problem, the bike is the same“.
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The differences with 2025
“The grip is lower than in the tests – Bagnaia continued – and KTM and Pedro Acosta worked better to adapt to the new conditions. With new tires I struggle. We are suffering a bit in braking compared to KTM and Aprilia”. Comparing his current situation with that of 2025, Bagnaia tried to explain in detail what has changed: “The problem is different. We struggle to stop the bike with all the Ducatis. In terms of pace I could have finished further ahead, but I finished ninth. There is a very fine line between stopping the bike well or not doing it at all. However, we must look at things with perspective – concluded the red #63 – and today I gained more points than in the last five races of last year, Malaysia aside. Compared to last year’s Sprints we have taken a step forward”.
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