Francesco Bagnaia didn’t hold back after a tough Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, admitting that “it’s impossible to think about winning the championship” following a frustrating fourth-place finish at his home race.
Things started strong for the Ducati factory rider. He got off the line brilliantly, dicing it out with both Marc and Alex Marquez in the early laps. For a moment, it looked like a podium—maybe even a win—was on the cards. But as the race wore on, Bagnaia faded, ultimately losing the final podium spot to Fabio Di Giannantonio on the VR46 Ducati.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez went on to win the race ahead of his brother Alex. For Bagnaia, fourth place meant slipping even further behind in the title chase—now 110 points off the top in the standings.
“Like this, there’s no way I can think about the championship,” Bagnaia told the media after the race. “If we keep doing races like this, and the bike stays the same, then it’s going to be really tough.”
Bagnaia has been wrestling with front-end issues on his Ducati all season, and Mugello was no different. He explained that the first few laps felt solid, but things started to fall apart quickly.
“I felt good at the start,” he said. “But after six laps, the front started to drop. I had to back off or I’d risk crashing. And this has been the story all year.”
The two-time world champion is clearly frustrated with having to ride around the problem, saying he can’t push the bike the way he wants without risking a fall.
“When I try to ride how I want, I crash or almost crash. Like today—last corner, I nearly lost it just trying to hit the same line I always do.”
Bagnaia painted a vivid picture of how unpredictable the bike has been. “I maybe start well, but then I’m just following the Marquez brothers around, waiting for a mistake. But I can’t really attack. I get within a few tenths, try to push, and suddenly the front starts understeering everywhere. It changes in a lap. One moment you’re feeling good, the next it’s like the bike turns on you.”
Despite the setbacks, Pecco still believes the potential is there. “I know I can fight for wins—I showed it in the first few laps. I just need to feel right with the bike.”
The big question now is whether Ducati can sort out these issues before it’s too late. Because as things stand, Bagnaia’s title hopes are slipping through his fingers.
