Jorge Lorenzo remains steadfast in his belief that Pecco Bagnaia is poised to make a significant comeback in the 2026 MotoGP season, despite the tumultuous challenges he faced in 2025. Following the recent Sepang test, where Bagnaia showed promising signs of regaining his competitive edge with the new Ducati, Lorenzo’s confidence in the Italian racer seems well-placed.
Bagnaia’s struggles with the GP25 have been no secret; he grappled with a lack of connection to the bike’s rear end, which hindered his performance and relegated him to a secondary role early in the season. His disappointing year culminated in what many consider his worst campaign in the premier class, save for a few dazzling moments, like his dominant victory at the Grand Prix of Japan. With lingering doubts about whether he could rediscover the magic with the Borgo Panigale machine, Bagnaia’s recent statements from the Sepang test indicate a significant turnaround. The final winter tests in Thailand on February 21 and 22 will be crucial to confirming this renewed sense of confidence.
In Malaysia, Lorenzo not only took on the role of coach for Maverick Viñales but also seized the opportunity to delve into the current landscape of the championship. During his analysis of Bagnaia’s situation, Lorenzo expressed unwavering faith in him, emphasizing how subtle changes in a bike’s setup or regulations can drastically affect a rider’s performance. He drew parallels to his own experiences battling Marc Márquez while at Yamaha, illustrating just how pivotal these small details can be in a sport where every fraction of a second counts.
“The people outside [the paddock], the fans, cannot understand that a small change in the rules or the bike, a minor detail that doesn’t suit the rider, can change everything,” Lorenzo remarked on the official MotoGP website, tapping into his own historical context. He recounted the challenges he faced in 2014 when rule changes, including harder tires and reduced fuel capacity, completely altered his Yamaha bike’s dynamics.
Lorenzo recalls how those adjustments led to a dismal start to that season, where he only managed to podium twice in the first eight races, failing to clinch a victory until late summer. This experience fuels his belief that if Bagnaia can find harmony with his machine, he could rise to the challenge and contend for the championship in 2026, even with Márquez looming as a formidable opponent.
According to Davide Tardozzi, Bagnaia’s team principal, there has been a noticeable shift in Bagnaia’s mindset since the winter, which Lorenzo believes is crucial. “Pecco remains a champion; he’s an incredible rider—super fast, super talented, super precise—and last year’s poor results don’t reflect his true capabilities. I believe that once he feels more comfortable with the bike, he will show he is a title contender,” Lorenzo asserted.
He also suggested that Bagnaia might benefit from seeking external help to navigate his mental hurdles, advising him to experiment with new approaches to rekindle his performance. “When you’re in a tough spot, you have to do something. That’s what I did when I went through a rough patch: I worked harder and constantly asked myself what I could do to improve,” Lorenzo noted.
While he acknowledges that he may not be privy to Bagnaia’s current strategies, he insists that exploring new avenues is essential for any rider facing adversity. “In any case, from the outside, I think he needed to do something. Plus, the fact that he likely feels better with the bike now helps him far more than anything he could find outside it,” Lorenzo concluded, leaving fans eager to see how Bagnaia will harness this momentum as the new season approaches.
