Francesco Bagnaia admits his priority for the remaining three rounds of the 2026 MotoGP season is simply to get through them, as his ongoing struggles with Ducati's GP26 continue to affect his performance.
The Malaysian Grand Prix had been one of Bagnaia's biggest opportunities to turn his season around. Sepang was a circuit where he had previously enjoyed success, taking pole position and winning the Sprint in 2025 despite experiencing problems with his bike. However, the Italian endured another disappointing weekend, qualifying 10th before finishing Sunday's race in 13th place.
Asked whether he was counting down the days until his Ducati departure at the end of the season, Bagnaia admitted that he had been doing so for some time. With little sign of a solution to his problems, he described his expectations for the final three rounds in one word: "Surviving".
The two-time MotoGP world champion has struggled with a lack of rear grip throughout much of the 2026 campaign. Although he managed to secure four consecutive Grand Prix podiums and a Sprint victory at Brno during the first half of the season, his form dropped significantly after the summer break. His best results across the last eight rounds have been two sixth-place finishes in Sprint races.
Source: Detik Sport
Sepang offered little improvement. Bagnaia said he struggled to find grip from the opening stages of Sunday's race and had to focus on reaching the finish rather than pushing for a competitive result. After just five laps, he was already managing a worn rear tyre, with his pace falling considerably towards the end.
His final lap was completed in 2m05.143s, around two seconds slower than team-mate Marc Marquez, who had eased off considerably after securing his seventh Grand Prix victory of the season. Bagnaia admitted the pace was far below what he knew he could achieve at the circuit.
With three rounds remaining, Bagnaia will now look to finish his Ducati career as strongly as possible before joining Aprilia for the 2027 season. After eight years with the Italian manufacturer, including six seasons in its factory team, the upcoming Valencia Grand Prix will mark the end of their partnership.
