Gigi Dall’Igna explains Francesco Bagnaia’s struggles at Thai GP

Ducati Corse boss reveals why Bagnaia struggled behind Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez in Buriram.

Gigi Dall'Igna of Italy and Ducati Team looks on during the MotoGP test at Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain, on November 19, 2024. Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna has provided insight into Francesco Bagnaia’s struggles at the Thai GP, where the reigning world champion found himself trailing both Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez in Buriram.

Bagnaia secured third place in both the sprint race and the grand prix, but his performance was hindered by front tyre issues throughout the weekend. On Saturday, he battled excessive front tyre wear in the shortened sprint race, while Sunday’s grand prix saw him struggling with front tyre temperature when following other riders.

Dall’Igna highlighted that the Thai GP served as a crucial indicator for Ducati at the start of the 2025 season. While new Ducati Lenovo recruit Marc Marquez has quickly adapted to the Desmosedici GP24, Bagnaia is still working to find his rhythm after a challenging preseason.

Bagnaia still catching up after preseason struggles

Speaking to Sky Sport Italy, Dall’Igna acknowledged that the opening race of the season is always unpredictable, as teams gauge their competitiveness against rivals for the first time.

“The first race is always the most complicated because you never know your level compared to the others,” Dall’Igna explained.

“I think Marc [Marquez] has the bike in his hands and already knows what to do.

“Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia], for various reasons, has room for improvement, and I expect him to bring it out.”

Bagnaia’s difficulties in Thailand were linked to a disrupted preseason, which prevented him from fine-tuning his setup as effectively as Marquez. The former Honda rider had a smoother testing period, while Bagnaia faced setbacks that put him slightly behind in race preparation.

“Marc had easier tests, Pecco’s were more tormented, and this justifies that he has a bit of a delay in preparing for the races,” Dall’Igna added.

Ducati’s development strategy for 2025

Despite Bagnaia’s struggles, Ducati is already working to refine the GP24, which was finalized during winter testing. The Italian manufacturer is making targeted improvements to differentiate the factory-spec Desmosedici from the customer GP24 models used by Gresini’s Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer, as well as VR46’s Franco Morbidelli.

Ducati’s evolving strategy could help Bagnaia regain his edge in the coming rounds, as he looks to close the gap to Marquez, who has made an immediate impact in his debut season with the factory team.

With the season just beginning, the pressure is mounting on Bagnaia to overcome his early struggles and defend his MotoGP crown against an in-form Marquez. The upcoming rounds will be crucial in determining whether Bagnaia can rise to the challenge or if Marquez will continue his strong start with Ducati Lenovo.