Francesco Bagnaia’s struggles on the Ducati continue to mount, with the latest misstep occurring at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Italian rider faced a challenging race weekend, culminating in a crash just eleven laps into the event, leaving him frustrated and questioning his understanding of the track conditions.
As the 2026 season unfolds, Bagnaia is finding it increasingly difficult to replicate the success of the previous year. Instead of contending for a podium finish, his primary battle seemed to be merely staying upright on his bike. “I was trying to survive, but I crashed anyway,” he lamented, his disappointment palpable. He admitted to grappling with the low grip levels, stating, “I might not have understood the conditions well, and it was hard to stay on the bike.”
Reflecting on his performance, he expressed confusion over his contrasting feelings during practice compared to the race. “It’s hard to say what I’m missing because last year was always like that. This year, even in practice and here, aside from the race, I’ve generally felt good. I need to improve because I was among the leaders in FP2 and again during the warm-up this morning. I only made one mistake in qualifying, but my pace was solid. It’s strange that I faced so many issues during the Sprint and the race; I simply have to get better.”
Bagnaia’s candid assessment of his ongoing challenges revealed a familiar pattern. He acknowledged, “I still struggle quite a bit with braking and maintaining normal speed in the corners, plus I lack rear grip.” In practice, he felt more at ease, but the race proved to be a different story, particularly when it came to braking and corner entry.
The situation seemed to worsen when racing in close proximity to others. “When you follow someone, the front tire temperature rises, making it difficult to push, as always. Last year, I had more issues; I had to stay half a second behind the person in front. Now, I can stay closer.”
Addressing the decision to shorten the race due to the state of the asphalt, Bagnaia chose to sidestep controversy, remarking, “I don’t want to get into those discussions; I have my own problems. But it is what it is; it’s a new track, but even in Austin, there are bumps every year. They’ll fix it.”
Looking ahead to his next race in Austin, Bagnaia expressed cautious optimism. “I hope it will be like last year when I was competitive, and I’ll try to fight for the positions I believe are my goal.” With the pressure mounting and expectations high, the Italian racer knows he must find a way to turn his fortunes around before the season slips further away.
