Sensational midfielder confirms he wants to join Liverpool
A sensational midfielder has confirmed he wants to join Liverpool, prompting transfer talks.
Francesco Bagnaia claims the Ducati GP26 feels identical to the problematic GP25, raising concerns about the bike's development. He urges Ducati to address the feedback issues that plagued the previous model.
Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images
Francesco Bagnaia has said the Ducati GP26 doesnāt feel any different from last yearās bike, raising familiar concerns about the bikeās development.
The Italian rider had ongoing complaints throughout 2025, mainly focused on a lack of feedback from the GP25, especially when braking and entering corners. It was a clear departure from how he felt on the GP24, which had brought him 11 wins in 2024.
Fast forward to 2026 and Bagnaia is calling for Ducati to revisit what made the earlier model so successful, saying this seasonās machine feels no different to last yearās problematic one. He spent much of that season asking Ducati to fix those issues, but little seemed to change.
He failed to finish six of the final seven races and dropped down to fifth in the championship standings. This year had started on a more positive note ā Bagnaia even looked quicker than Marc Marquez during pre-season testing, though Marquez wasnāt fully fit at that time.
Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images
Bagnaia hasnāt managed a top-eight finish through the first three rounds of the 2026 season, and those issues havenāt gone away. He explained to Sky Italia how the problems with the new bike are a continuation of what he experienced with its predecessor.
āI know my potential very well, I know exactly where I can be,ā he said. āWhenever Iāve had the chance, Iāve always been at the front, and the results speak for themselves.
āIāve been struggling for two years: The DNA of the GP25 and GP26, which is the same, doesnāt allow me to express myself fully. I always ride very defensively and canāt fully trust the bike, and that doesnāt allow me to be fast.
Francesco Bagnaia experienced a lack of feedback, particularly when braking and entering corners, with the Ducati GP25.
Bagnaia states that the Ducati GP26 feels no different from the flawed GP25, indicating ongoing development concerns.
Bagnaia called for Ducati to revisit the successful elements of the earlier GP24 model to improve the current bike.
On the GP24, Francesco Bagnaia achieved 11 wins in 2024, showcasing a stark contrast to his experience with the GP25 and GP26.
A sensational midfielder has confirmed he wants to join Liverpool, prompting transfer talks.
Falcons' James Pearce agrees to diversion program; felony charges may be dropped.
Ty'Reek Coleman officially signs with Iowa men's basketball program!
Mayank Yadav faces backlash after tough IPL 2026 comeback
See every story in Sports ā including breaking news and analysis.
āPlus my strong point, which has always been braking and corner entry, I canāt exploit with this bike anymore. Iāve completely changed my braking system and itās something that limits me a lot.
āI just hope we can continue in the direction weāve been in up until 2024 with a bike designed for that. Right now there are other riders complaining about some things as well.ā
Bagnaiaās season hasnāt been without its bright spots. He nearly took a Sprint win at COTA, only for Jorge Martin to snatch it away on the final lap after Bagnaia had led most of the race.
Still, itās been a tough campaign overall. The two-time champion is struggling to understand why he keeps losing pace during races on the GP26 and has yet to break into the top five this year.
Heās even acknowledged that he could have done more to adapt to last yearās bike, which may be costing him now in 2026 since this yearās machine shares so much of its DNA.
Heāll keep pushing for improvements with Ducati, but with his Aprilia switch already set for 2027, Bagnaia might just be counting down the days until this season wraps up.
Read more: