Facing the relentless pressure of MotoGP, Pecco Bagnaia is at a critical juncture. Kevin Schwantz, a former MotoGP world champion, believes that Bagnaia's path to reclaiming his top form will be a challenging one, particularly in the face of teammate Marc Marquez's influence.
Bagnaia, a double MotoGP champion, was widely anticipated to be Marquez's primary rival in the 2025 season. However, things didn't go as planned. Bagnaia struggled with the GP25, facing issues with front-end confidence. He only managed to secure two grand prix wins, finishing a distant fifth in the standings, a whopping 257 points behind.
But here's where it gets controversial... Bagnaia's performance seemed unpredictable, making it difficult for Ducati to find solutions. Many speculated that the mental aspect of being Marquez's teammate in 2025 played a role, despite denials from both Bagnaia and Ducati.
Schwantz suggests that Bagnaia's struggles were, in part, due to Marquez's dominance. He emphasizes that Bagnaia has a "long road" ahead to regain his competitive edge. "I think it's a combination of everything," Schwantz told Gazzetta dello Sport at EICMA. The competition is so fierce that the difference between the front and the back of the pack can be a matter of mere seconds.
He further explained that allowing external factors to influence your focus can be detrimental. Seeing a teammate consistently in the top positions can be distracting, preventing a rider from concentrating on their own needs and the bike's performance.
Schwantz recalls Bagnaia's potential, citing his impressive performance in Japan, where he secured the fastest qualifying time and won both the sprint and main races. He believes Bagnaia needs to refocus on his own goals and requirements.
"It’s going to be hard work: he won't be able to ask [the team] ‘What are they using?' or 'Why is he going faster than me?', since what works for Marc doesn't necessarily work for him. So he'll have to try everything himself. It seems like a long road to get results, but I think at that level it's the only way to do it."
Bagnaia ended the Valencia test last month with a positive feeling about his bike.
And this is the part most people miss... Ducati is set to unveil its official team for 2026 in Italy on January 19th.
What do you think? Do you believe the mental aspect of being teammates with a dominant rider like Marquez can significantly impact a rider's performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
