Francesco Bagnaia’s dominant performance in the Japanese Grand Prix sprint is at least partly down to the changes Ducati made to his MotoGP bike in the Misano test.
Bagnaia had been lacking something on the GP25 since the very start of the 2025 MotoGP season, but his form plummeted further after the summer break, prompting questions about his very future at Ducati.
Both sides had tried various fixes in previous months, but it appeared that there was no solution in sight for his problems.
However, the timing of this month’s Misano test couldn’t have been any better for Bagnaia, who finally managed to click with a bike that he believed was preventing him from showing his true potential.
It has emerged that Ducati introduced a hybrid machine for Bagnaia in Misano, incorporating certain elements from last year, such as swingarm, fork and aerodynamics, into the GP25.
However, Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi didn’t go as far as revealing whether the breakthrough was down to the changes and/or other factors such as the mandatory use of 355mm brakes at Motegi.
“I think Monday at Misano was important for Pecco. Gigi [Dall’Igna] and the engineers found the ideal mix to give him the feeling he needed. We’ve made a mix,” he said.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Qian Jun / MB Media via Getty Images
A full return to the GP24 isn’t allowed under the regulations, but Ducati is free to mix and match various components as it sees fit.
Bagnaia also provided some information on what has changed on his bike between the race weekends in Misano and Motegi.
“We haven’t returned to the GP24, but we have changed parts that in other situations haven’t worked, and here and at Misano they have,” he told DAZN. “Perhaps [the changes were made] out of desperation, but they have started to work better again, and in the end, I felt better. I was able to ride more like last year.“
However, Bagnaia wouldn’t confirm that those parts were directly from the 2024 bike, only saying: ”They are parts that Marc [Marquez] also has.”
Bagnaia doesn’t have a firm answer as to why the bike changes are working for him, but he can’t help but think how different his season would have been if he had made the breakthrough earlier in the year.
Misano marked the third and final pre-season test of 2025, meaning at least two opportunities were wasted during the year.
“That’s something I can’t explain,” he said when asked why those parts are working now. “But after the result, I’m not asking myself so many questions, I’m just happy.
“In the end, we were all in the same situation, working together. The result has come here, but it could surely have come sooner.
“Perhaps in the Jerez test, if this solution had been found earlier, I could have had a totally different season, but in the end, what happened happened, and we fixed it with six races to go.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
A wide gulf remained between Ducati and Bagnaia over what each believed caused his slump this season.
Ducati had been adamant that there was nothing wrong with the bike, and Bagnaia needed to regain confidence in himself to fight for victories again.
The Italian, on the other hand, was convinced that he was giving his very best, and that something had to change on the bike for him to rediscover his form.
While the bike itself has now changed, whether there was also a psychological impact from reverting to some of the bike components that allowed him to win 11 out of 20 grands prix last season is unclear.
The 28-year-old was also able to lean on the experience of ex-MotoGP star Casey Stoner, who provided him with a different perspective during this month’s Misano test.
Either way, after many false dawns, Bagnaia feels he is now genuinely back to his 2024 best.
“I’m back. Doing my best races: starting well and pushing hard,” he said. “Thanks to the team, they’ve done an impeccable job, finally giving me a flawless set-up on the bike. This feeling is super sweet.”
Asked if he feels ‘liberated’ on the bike, he added: “Yes, I really do. Throughout the weekend, I felt good with the bike from the Misano test. The other one was still like the ones from the other grand prix races.
“Tonight, my team fixed everything and set up two identical bikes [with the test specifications]. This morning, knowing I had both bikes, it was easier to push. The pole position was perfect, and so was the race.
“Starting well, pushing, keeping my pace, I couldn’t ask for more. I’ve always believed I could achieve these results; I’ve always said so when I had the chance to be there. And today we proved it.”
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