Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi believes Francesco Bagnaia is firmly back on track in MotoGP, saying he is once again displaying the mentality that defined his 2024 season.
Factory Ducati rider Bagnaia made an impressive start to pre-season testing in Malaysia last week, after immediately feeling at ease on the new GP26.
Although he ended up only fifth on the timesheets, he turned heads with his long-run pace during a sprint simulation, lapping just a tenth shy of the pace set by Gresini’s Alex Marquez.
This performance was in stark contrast to his largely disastrous 2025 campaign, during which he struggled to adapt to the GP25 and frequently found himself running at the back of the pack.
The Italian himself said he was able to find the feeling that was missing last year, particularly praising the improved braking stability of the Desmosedici – even if he stopped short of declaring that his 2025 difficulties were completely behind him.
Tardozzi echoed those sentiments, insisting Bagnaia’s mindset heading into 2026 closely resembles the version seen two years ago, when he won 11 of 20 grands prix and narrowly lost the championship to Pramac’s Jorge Martin.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“At the beginning of the year, when he returned from the winter break, I found a completely different Pecco, with a different mentality. Reminiscent of the 2024 version. So, I think Pecco is going to be a very tough rival to beat in the upcoming races,” Tardozzi told MotoGP’s website.
He added: “He’s a very intelligent person, so we talk a lot with him, Gigi [Dall’Igna] in particular, and I think that since the Valencia test he’s already regained the right mental attitude. We’re very happy; we know we have a very competitive Pecco.”
The rumour mill has been rife about Bagnaia’s future, with Autosport reporting earlier this month that current KTM rider Pedro Acosta is being lined up as his potential replacement for 2027.
In response to the speculation, Bagnaia has already made it clear that a satellite Ducati seat would not appeal to him, hinting that his long association with the Borgo Panigale marque could come to an end if he loses his place in the factory team.
Tardozzi reiterated that Ducati’s immediate focus remains on signing a new contract with world champion Marc Marquez before making any decisions about the second factory bike: “Pecco is in our heart, but until we have not finalised Marc’s [contract], we don’t want to talk with other riders because maybe in the last moment he will not sign. So first Marc, then we’ll see.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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