Rumors on the MotoGP paddock recommend that Pecco Bagnaia’s type shift in Japan was the results of Ducati giving Franco Morbidelli’s GP24 within the Misano Take a look at.
The Double World Champion has endured a 2025 marketing campaign on Ducati’s newest manufacturing facility prototype. This was a tricky beginning within the winter because the markings pressured them to desert their full GP25 engine.
From the off, Pecco Bagnaia did not get near the form of world champion teammate Mark Marquez as he fought towards the shortage of front-end confidence within the bike.
His season grew to become notably troublesome after summer season holidays. Most notably, he positioned twenty first in his three-year qualifying spherical in Barcelona, and gained a double DNF at his house San Marino Grand Prix.
The post-race take a look at at Misano was seen because the final alternative for Bagnaia to avoid wasting one thing from the 2025 marketing campaign.
Bike swap rumors cited as the important thing to Bagnaia’s turnaround
Bagnaia was optimistic about what she discovered on the bike within the Misano take a look at, however claimed she was extra targeted on driving on the time, somewhat than a significant change.
Then when he arrived in Japan, he informed the media {that a} “unconventional” change had been made to his GP25 to permit him to experience with extra confidence.
And he hit a dominant victory with Paul in each races, so it definitely was with Motegi – indicating a type that had existed all yr spherical for Bagnaia.
What these adjustments had been, each him and Ducati remained caged. Nevertheless, the essential adjustments are thought of to be the 2024 entrance fork, swing arm and experience top units.
On Thursday forward of the Indonesian Grand Prix, Dona’s Jack Utilized amplified rumors that Ducati had already made a spherical of working one in every of Franco Morbidelli’s VR46 run GP24s into the Bagnaia storage and fitted with a GP25 engine.
“He had an extended, lengthy assembly with Gigi Dragna and David Tardozzi. From placing the items collectively, he put the last word on the desk and informed them, “As ample sufficient, that is sufficient. This can’t be carried out all yr spherical.
“And it looks like Franco Morbidelli’s GP24 went to the Ducati field with the GP25 engine bolted in place on Sunday night. That is the place Pecco discovered his confidence.”
Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati Corse, 2025 Japanese Motogp
©Gold and Goose
Bagnaia admits “objects from the previous” however denies Morbidelli Bike Swap Chatter
Bagnaia requested him for almost all of the yr asking if he wish to set up the 2025 engine and check out the GP24 once more (in response to rules, he isn’t permitted to alter the specs of the engine).
In Japan, he stated that a number of the objects he was utilizing had been people who Mark Marquez additionally has on his GP25.
When requested by Crash.web concerning the rumors of Morbidelli Bike in Indonesia on Thursday, Bagnaia stated:
“So, I have never confirmed what you are saying, however I am going to ensure that the sensation of feeling again on the Misano take a look at has arrived from a number of the objects I’ve used up to now.”
After the Japanese Grand Prix, Bagnaia admitted he was “very offended” to seek out this way, as he could have come early this season.
Nevertheless, he defended Ducati by noting that on this yr’s post-race take a look at at Jerez and Aragon, he got here from the outcomes on the rostrum and did not really feel that radical change was obligatory.
