Francesco Bagnaia believes a winter reset has put him back in the right mindset to challenge Marc Marquez for the MotoGP title, following a frustrating 2025 campaign that tested him both on and off the track.
The three-time world champion endured one of the toughest seasons of his career last year, regularly struggling to qualify inside the top 12 and, at times, failing to score points. This marked a sharp contrast to his recent title-winning form.
Bagnaia’s difficulties were further highlighted by the performance of his new Ducati team-mate Marquez, who dominated the season aboard the GP25 and clinched the championship with five rounds to spare.
Speaking at Ducati’s 2026 season launch on Monday, Bagnaia said time away from racing allowed him to reset mentally and reassess his approach.
“I just had a holiday with my wife to completely reset,” Bagnaia told media. “Then we started quite soon to work again in the gym and analyse things.
“I tried to disconnect more compared to the past. It gave me more time to think about myself and what I needed to do.”
The 29-year-old admitted that last season’s struggles were unfamiliar territory and required a change in mindset.
“Last year was tricky in many situations. Maybe I wasn’t used to struggling that much,” he said. “So it was important to review everything and understand what the reference was doing better.
“Marc was stronger in some areas, especially in certain situations, while I was still struggling in qualifying. I tried to analyse that and see if I could understand something.”
Despite the challenges, Bagnaia remains confident he can put up a stronger fight in 2026.
“At this moment, I would just like to fight for the championship more, not like last year,” he said. “I believe I have the potential to make Marc’s life more difficult.”
As MotoGP heads into a new season, Bagnaia appears refreshed, reflective, and determined. He is aiming not just to return to form, but to reignite a title fight that eluded him last year.
