Casey Stoner believes Francesco Bagnaia was unfairly treated during his difficult spell with Ducati, claiming the two-time MotoGP world champion “got the short straw” as he struggled to extract the best from the GP25.
Bagnaia endured a frustrating 2025 season despite arriving as one of Ducati’s leading riders. While teammate Marc Marquez went on to dominate the championship, Bagnaia struggled for consistency and was often unable to find the confidence and performance he had shown during his title-winning seasons.
According to Stoner, Bagnaia’s concerns about the bike were too often dismissed as complaints rather than recognised as genuine problems.
The former Ducati champion said Bagnaia’s smooth riding style did not always work well with the behaviour of the GP25, which could produce characteristics that did not suit the Italian's strengths.
The contrast with Marquez made Bagnaia’s struggles even more noticeable. While Marquez secured the championship with five races remaining, Bagnaia managed two Grand Prix victories and several podium finishes but suffered six non-finishes in the final seven races.
Source: Crash.net
Stoner believes those results do not tell the full story and that Bagnaia's difficulties were not simply down to a lack of form.
Ducati eventually opted to bring Pedro Acosta into its factory line-up for 2027, bringing an end to Bagnaia’s highly successful partnership with the manufacturer.
Bagnaia leaves behind a significant legacy at Ducati. He delivered the manufacturer its first MotoGP riders' title since Stoner's 2007 championship when he won in 2022, before successfully defending his crown in 2023.
His move to Aprilia now offers the Italian an opportunity to start again, and Stoner believes the change could provide the motivation Bagnaia needs to rediscover his confidence.
A new team, a different bike and a fresh environment could give the former champion the chance to put his Ducati struggles behind him and rebuild his momentum.
Bagnaia has continued to show flashes of his ability, suggesting that his speed has not disappeared despite his recent difficulties. For Stoner, the key now is whether Aprilia can give the Italian the environment he needs to bring that talent back to the forefront.
After years of success with Ducati, Bagnaia's next chapter could prove to be one of the most important of his career. If the Aprilia move works as Stoner hopes, it could give the two-time world champion the fresh start needed to silence his critics and return to the MotoGP title fight.
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