Francesco Bagnaia has admitted that his current riding style is “not suiting” Ducati’s 2024 MotoGP bike, as the former world champion returns from the summer break determined to recover the form that carried him to back-to-back titles in the past.
The Italian spent the first week of the three-week break in Sardinia with his wife and dog before returning home to train intensively and work on himself ahead of what he predicts will be an “intense” and “very important” run to the end of the season.
“I already understood that my riding style is not suiting this bike, so we need to change something and I need to change something,” Bagnaia said. “I’ll try to do it and see if I can improve.”
The biggest issue, he explained, comes under braking – an area that has long been one of his greatest strengths.
“With this bike, I cannot brake like I want. This is the hardest part for me because it’s the biggest difference to all the years that I was in the Ducati factory team.”
“That’s the main thing I need to change, and I’m trying to do it.”
Bagnaia has been studying past performances to pinpoint the gap to his current form.
“I rewatched many races from last year and the previous year, seeing how competitive I was in the fight following others, overtaking, braking super hard.”
“When I watch the first part of this season, it’s completely different. Nothing comparable.”
“I want to change that, and try to be more like last year, and the last couple of years.”
Austria has been a strong venue for the factory Ducati rider in recent seasons, and he hopes the Red Bull Ring’s heavy braking zones will help him find a breakthrough.
According to Brembo technicians who work closely with all MotoGP riders, the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg is classified as a highly demanding circuit for brakes. On a scale from 1 to 6, it has a difficulty index of 6 due to 5 Hard braking points and 3 Medium. pic.twitter.com/19MvtDVoGG
— Brembo (@BremboBrakes) August 14, 2025
“This is a fantastic track for me. I always enjoy riding here. Normally, it’s a circuit that suits my style, especially on braking.”
“Let’s see if I can make the difference and be competitive to fight for a win.”
With a significant points deficit and his teammate Marc Marquez absolutely dominating the title race, Bagnaia concedes that the championship is no longer his main focus.
Instead, his priority is returning to his old level. “I’m looking to find back my speed and be competitive to fight for wins.”
