2025 MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez emphasized that Ducati needs Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia to return to his best level in MotoGP 2026 to maintain the team's performance stability amid increasingly fierce competition."We need Pecco to get back to his level because he's very sensitive to the bike, and that's very helpful for the future," Marquez said, as quoted by the MotoGP website in Jakarta on Monday.
He added that Bagnaia's speed was still evident in several practice sessions and races, despite Pecco's inconsistent performance throughout the 2025 season.
Bagnaia's performance experienced ups and downs during the 2025 season, primarily due to difficulties adapting to the Desmosedici GP25, which didn't offer the same confidence on the front end as the previous season's bike. However, Marquez believes the recovery process can be swift.
"Sometimes, two months is enough to reset everything. So December and January will be the best time for Pecco to reset and start fresh at the Malaysian test," said Marquez.
Marquez himself dominated in 2025, holding a 78-point lead despite missing the final five races due to injury. However, he warned that Ducati's rivals were developing rapidly and couldn't be underestimated ahead of the new season.
