Bagnaia’s Subtle Message: Navigating Team Dynamics Amid Marquez’s Arrival at Ducati

Pecco Bagnaia's remarks carried underlying implications for Marc Marquez

Bagnaia subtly suggested to the team leaders regarding 'team environment'

Francesco Bagnaia has teamed up with two riders within the official Ducati squad, typically outperforming both.

In both 2022 and 2023, Bagnaia's success stemmed in part from his skill in shaping the Ducati Lenovo Team to suit him, fostering a supportive atmosphere that enabled him to stay focused and at ease.

Bagnaia's triumph at the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend showcased the effectiveness of their teamwork and the atmosphere they've cultivated, as he described.

"The current mood is fantastic," Bagnaia expressed, commenting on the vibe within the Ducati Lenovo Team following his win in Austria.

"Frankly, right now we're experiencing one of our peak periods; the squad is outstanding. It's not a case of division within, but rather a unified group, all collaborating harmoniously."

I frequently pose numerous questions to Enea on a daily basis, and the projects we're tackling together are truly remarkable. Whenever there's something I need to experiment with but lack the time, he steps in to do it, making the experience equally beneficial for both of us.

"He tested the front tire in Austria, and I inquired about it during the session."

"I believe it's crucial and beneficial for us to maintain this connection."

"During the competition, it's essential to focus on your strategies, engage actively, and strive for victory."

"However, when outside and throughout the meetings, it's more beneficial to unite our efforts and aim for mutual enhancement."

Bagnaia subtly signaled to Ducati

Indeed, Bagnaia's detailed praise for the collaborative efforts of the engineering teams across Ducati's factory garage, alongside his acknowledgment of his colleague, Enea Bastianini, across the garage, is deeply based on actual events. His instance of inquiring with Bastianini during a session about his experience using the hard-compound front tire on Friday in Austria was also mentioned by Bagnaia on Friday during the Austrian Grand Prix, shortly after their exchange took place.

Bagnaia explained to MotoGP.com that the only opportunity he had to test the hard front tire was during practice.

"I inquired about his emotions, to which he responded that overall, they were positive, though he admitted needing to exercise more patience on the left side. Frankly, his gaze didn't radiate much assurance, leading me to opt for the medium approach instead."

Evidently, Bagnaia's brief exchange with his teammate on Friday paid off — opting for the hard-compound front tyre in Austria was a mistake, leading to several crashes on that day.

Clearly, the existing workplace atmosphere at Ducati is producing highly favorable outcomes. Bagnaia tops the riders' leaderboard with a five-point advantage over Jorge Martin from Pramac Ducati, and Bastianini holds the third spot.

Ducati holds the leading position in the manufacturers' rankings, with their factory team also dominating the team points. It's a scenario that logically wouldn't benefit from any disruption.

Yet, it's entirely logical, given that the catalyst for change here is Marc Marquez, widely considered the greatest rider ever, and the one who delayed Ducati's reign of supremacy by two to three years than it might have otherwise started.

Marquez has secured the World Champion title eight times and remains a contender capable of clinching another championship, provided he has the appropriate gear. Securing a ninth title would place him on par with Valentino Rossi, while a 10th victory would position him as the unparalleled leader in the history of premier class championships.

Securing a two-year deal might enable him to clinch his 10th championship with Ducati, a prospect that Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali likely views as having significant marketing potential.

As someone with an engineering background, Domenicali has the capability to grasp the insights that someone such as Ducati Corse's General Manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, shares with him regarding Marquez's performance metrics and skills. Similarly, he can comprehend the explanations from Marquez’s Gresini team chief, Frankie Carchedi, about Marquez’s work ethic and approach.

Moreover, the recent recollections of Marquez's overwhelming superiority over the Desmosedici likely triggered significant concern for Domenicali. The idea of Marquez potentially joining KTM or Aprilia could understandably cause alarm. By retaining him, he wouldn't be in a position to snatch championships from them, correct?

Undoubtedly, the question on Bagnaia's mind is, at what expense?

The worries of the thrice-crowned World Champion make sense upon examining the latest developments within Repsol Honda, HRC, and the Honda RC213V. The narrative reveals a squad, maker, and bike progressively tailored to favor the capabilities of a single rider, arguably at the expense of the rest.

Upon Marquez joining Repsol Honda in 2013, Dani Pedrosa's role shifted from a consistent championship challenger starting in 2010 to effectively becoming the second lead rider by mid-2014.

Following Pedrosa's retirement at the close of 2018, Jorge Lorenzo made an attempt to excel on the RC213V but was unsuccessful, leading to his retirement after just one season. Pol Espargaro managed to perform slightly better than Lorenzo; however, after two years, he went back to KTM's affiliated Tech3 team in 2023. Subsequently, Joan Mir joined Repsol Honda, and in his one-and-a-half-year tenure, he has secured a top six finish once (in India, 2023), amidst ongoing speculation about his potential retirement.

Luca Marini stepped in for Marquez this season following Marquez's decision to step aside, managing to secure a single point across 11 competitions.

Certainly, it wouldn't be just to attribute all of Honda Racing Corporation's (HRC) present challenges in MotoGP solely to Marquez. After all, he's just a rider and not an engineer. However, it's evident that the development path Honda took was predominantly influenced by Marquez's preferences.

It appears evident that the evolution of the RC213V progressively made it more challenging for Marquez's Honda teammates to handle.

The Ducati Desmosedici stands out for its accessibility to a wide array of riders, demonstrating notable success. In contrast, the RC213V has been victorious with only four riders (Marquez, Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow, Jack Miller) since 2013. However, from 2022 onwards, the Desmosedici has claimed victories with seven riders (Bagnaia, Jack Miller, Enea Bastianini, Jorge Martin, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marco Bezzecchi), and the count reaches eight when including Alex Marquez’s two Sprint victories from the previous year.

This motorcycle is accessible and versatile, capable of being piloted to success by nearly any MotoGP rider under the proper conditions.

Bagnaia's worries about Marquez causing disturbances

This stems from the ambiance Bagnaia referred to while speaking at the press conference, and preserving this environment following Bastianini's replacement by Marquez is the main issue Bagnaia aimed to highlight.

Marquez's entry into the scene has significantly impacted Ducati. Pramac has switched to Yamaha, and Jorge Martin along with Marco Bezzecchi have moved to Aprilia. Additionally, next year will see a reduction in the number of top-tier Ducatis racing, with VR46 receiving just one 2025 Desmosedici, a decrease from the two GP24s currently raced by Pramac.

As of 2025, Ducati appears to be in a less competitive position. The team's roster has diminished in both size and talent following the exits of Bezzecchi and Martin, contributing to a reduced visibility of its bikes on the race track.

Bagnaia desires Marquez's integration into the team to be smooth, putting an end to any disturbances. He hopes for Marquez to gel with the team and grasp his position just as Bastianini has. Bagnaia believes that Ducati's continued success in MotoGP hinges on maintaining their collaborative spirit, recognizing that securing championships is more straightforward with the top machinery at their disposal.

Bagnaia's commendation of Enea Bastianini and Ducati during the press conference after the Austrian race was essentially a signal to Ducati. He was emphasizing that they shouldn't let Marc Marquez join the team next year and disrupt the supportive atmosphere that the Bologna-based team has established, which enables him, Bagnaia, to perform optimally and secure championships. Essentially, he was also sending a clear message to Marquez: this team revolves around Bagnaia's leadership, and success within this group requires adherence to its norms and demands, rather than personal preferences.

It will become apparent over time whether Bagnaia's new teammate will heed his advice. However, the notable dissimilarity between Marquez and the likes of Bastianini or even Jack Miller, who preceded him, lies in the fact that Marquez boasts six MotoGP championships, whereas Bastianini and Miller have yet to secure one. Marquez knows the essentials for clinching a top-tier title, and it's doubtful that having Francesco Bagnaia perform at his best will contribute to achieving that goal.

Discover Further

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Index

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying or reproducing text, photos, or illustrations entirely or in part is strictly prohibited in any manner.