Ducati’s General Manager Luigi Dall’Igna has publicly acknowledged that the factory’s approach to Francesco Bagnaia’s bike setup has been flawed amid the rider’s recent blunt criticism of the team.
The two-time MotoGP world champion’s off-the-record remarks, captured by DAZN microphones during the San Marino Grand Prix, sent shockwaves through the paddock when Bagnaia confessed to fellow rider Fabio Di Giannantonio that Ducati was not allowing him to ride with his preferred setup.
This revelation has intensified scrutiny over Ducati’s handling of Bagnaia’s struggles throughout the 2026 season, raising questions about the team’s commitment to extracting peak performance from their star rider. Bagnaia publicly condemned DAZN for broadcasting the private exchange upon his arrival at the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, but Ducati’s top brass have now addressed the controversy head-on.
Speaking candidly to GPOne inside the Red Bull Ring paddock, Dall’Igna admitted the comments were “certainly not pleasant to hear,” but framed them as an expected consequence of the challenging period the team is enduring. “When you’re facing difficulties as we are at the moment, you might make a few more mistakes,” he said, underlining the pressure weighing on both rider and engineers.
Reiterating Bagnaia’s assertion that the team remains united behind the scenes, Dall’Igna stressed, “We share with him everything we see on the bike, all the tests we intend to carry out over the weekend, and we decide together what to try and what, if anything, to leave out.” This statement aims to dispel reports of internal discord and suggests that the factory and rider are still aligned in their efforts.
However, Dall’Igna did not shy away from admitting that Ducati has experimented with setup choices that were “not the most suitable” from a technical standpoint. “Over the past few months, we’ve also carried out experiments which, from a technical point of view, were perhaps not the most suitable. We did them anyway to try and help him and find a solution,” he revealed. This admission confirms the team’s willingness to explore unconventional solutions amid ongoing difficulties.
The Italian engineer concluded with a resolute message: “Failing to get results isn’t good for him, or for us. We’re all in this together, and we’ll keep searching for a solution right to the very end, right up to the last race and the last mile.” Ducati’s candid acknowledgment of missteps combined with their commitment to persevering underlines the high stakes facing Bagnaia and the factory as they battle to salvage the season.