Is Pecco Bagnaia facing an uphill battle to reclaim his MotoGP dominance? A MotoGP legend believes the Italian rider needs to forge his own path to success, independent of his teammate's data. But is that even possible in today's hyper-competitive environment?
Former MotoGP World Champion Kevin Schwantz suggests that Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia needs to rediscover his individual approach and avoid relying on Marc Marquez's data to regain a competitive edge in the 2026 season. In other words, Schwantz believes Bagnaia needs to "try everything himself."
Many anticipated a fierce championship battle between reigning double MotoGP champion Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez in 2025. However, the season painted a different picture. Bagnaia struggled to find his rhythm and confidence with the GP25 bike.
The numbers tell the story: Bagnaia only managed two Grand Prix victories and ultimately finished a distant fifth in the championship standings, a staggering 257 points behind the leader. Troublingly, Ducati seemed unable to pinpoint the root cause of Bagnaia's struggles. His performance became unpredictable, fluctuating dramatically from one race weekend to the next. This inconsistency left fans and analysts alike scratching their heads.
Some observers have theorized that Bagnaia's mental game was negatively impacted by having Marquez as a teammate. But here's where it gets controversial... Both Bagnaia and Ducati have consistently denied this claim. They maintain that the team environment remained positive and supportive.
Schwantz acknowledges these denials, but still believes that Marquez's dominance undoubtedly played a role in Bagnaia's difficulties. He emphasizes that Bagnaia faces a potentially “long road” to return to his peak performance level.
“I think it's a combination of everything,” Schwantz told Gazzetta dello Sport at EICMA. He elaborated on the incredibly tight competition in MotoGP, explaining that the difference between leading the pack and trailing behind can often be a mere second. "So you can't afford to be too far behind. If you let these things go to your head, like seeing your team-mate always in the top three or top five, it's easy to get distracted and not be able to focus on what you need and what you want from the bike.”
Schwantz points to Bagnaia's impressive performance in Japan as evidence of his capabilities. “We know how strong Pecco can be, we saw itin Japantoo: fastest in qualifying, winner of the sprint race and then also the long race.” He suggests that perhaps Marquez wasn't pushing to his absolute limit in that particular race, prioritizing championship points over outright victory. “Maybe, on that occasion, Marquez was just racing for the championship, maybe he didn't push 100% to score just the points he needed to win the title, but Pecco just has to get back to focusing only on what he wants and what he needs.”
And this is the part most people miss... Schwantz stresses the importance of Bagnaia rediscovering his individual setup preferences. “It’s going to be hard work: he won't be able to ask [the team] ‘What are they using?' or 'Why is he going faster than me?', since what works for Marc doesn't necessarily work for him.” He concludes that Bagnaia must embark on a journey of self-discovery to optimize his bike and riding style. “So he'll have to try everything himself. It seems like a long road to get results, but I think at that level it's the only way to do it.”
On a more optimistic note, Bagnaia expressed satisfaction with his feeling on the bike during the Valencia test last month, suggesting some progress has been made.
Ducati has announced its official team launch for the 2026 season will take place in Italy on January 19th.
So, what do you think? Can Bagnaia successfully navigate this “long road” and re-establish himself as a dominant force in MotoGP? Is Schwantz right – must he completely disregard Marquez's data, or can there be a healthy balance of collaboration and individual development? And perhaps the biggest question: How much does the mental dynamic between teammates truly impact on-track performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
