Pecco Bagnaia Considers Returning to GP24 Amidst 2025 Season Challenges
Pecco Bagnaia, double MotoGP champion, is contemplating reverting to the GP24 bike due to disappointing performances in the 2025 season. Currently sitting third in the standings, Bagnaia expressed concerns over his connection to the new GP25 model after a weak finish in the Argentina GP. He emphasized the need to address issues in rear tire control and regain competitive form.
Pecco Bagnaia, the double MotoGP world champion, is contemplating a change in bike specification due to a challenging start to the 2025 season. He has expressed the possibility of reverting to the GP24 from the Americas Grand Prix, following a notably poor performance where he finished a distant third in the Thai Grand Prix and over five seconds behind his teammate, Marc Marquez, during the recent Argentina Grand Prix.
Currently, Bagnaia finds himself in a tough position, trailing by 31 points in the championship standings after only two races. Marquez’s flawless winning record puts him ahead, while Bagnaia currently sits behind Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez in third place. Bagnaia has commented on his struggles, noting that he feels a significant lack of the connection he once had with his Ducati bike.
Although the GP25 shares much of its specification with the GP24, Ducati opted to discard its 2025 engine and has postponed the use of its 2025 chassis and aero package until the upcoming Jerez test in April. Despite the similarities, Bagnaia has indicated that there are critical differences affecting his performance, prompting his consideration to switch back to the GP24.
After the recent race in Argentina, Bagnaia remarked, “We made a step forward over the weekend. But I still miss something, like rear tire control, and it’s strange considering the bike is similar to last year’s. Maybe from the next race onwards I will go back to the GP24, because at the moment my feelings are very strange. We have to keep working, but we have to solve this problem.”
Significantly, the Argentina GP was the first time since the 2024 Americas GP that Bagnaia did not finish in the top three. His performance last season on the GP24 saw him winning 11 out of 20 races, narrowly missing the championship by 10 points alongside multiple non-scoring finishes.
Bagnaia reflected on his recent struggles, stating, “I expected more from myself, but from the start of the race I struggled to find my rhythm. It’s true that I wasn’t too far behind the top two, because I was a tenth and a half slower in the first part of the race. But it was enough to see them escape, because then I also lost time in the fight with Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli.”
Notably, on the GP24, Alex Marquez has secured second place in every race of 2025 thus far for Gresini Racing and has fiercely challenged Marc Marquez in both recent competitions. Morbidelli also managed to place third on a different strategy, utilizing the GP24-spec VR46-run Ducati at Termas de Rio Hondo.
In summary, Pecco Bagnaia’s struggles with the GP25 bike have led him to consider a return to the GP24 model as he seeks to regain his competitive edge in the MotoGP 2025 season. Despite shared specifications, the differences in performance are significant, impacting his confidence and results. As the season progresses, addressing these issues and harnessing the strengths of the GP24 may be pivotal for Bagnaia’s championship aspirations.
Original Source: www.crash.net
