Bagnaia struggles at Motegi, faces Q1 after Friday’s 16th-place finish
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 2, 2026
Friday sends Bagnaia into Q1
Francesco Bagnaia‘s Friday at Motegi sent the Ducati rider back into Q1 for the sixth straight race after he finished 16th and 0.775 seconds behind pace-setter Alex Marquez. Bagnaia said he was really struggling and described the bike as having “completely zero grip,” with the rear of the machine giving him the most trouble. Braking caused him problems, too, and he called it a “standard Friday for this season,” underscoring how difficult the day felt.
The result carried extra weight because Bagnaia arrived at a circuit where he had dominated a year earlier. When asked what had changed since that win, he said “everything” was different. His comments reflected the gap shown on the timing sheets, with rear grip remaining a central issue. That left him with more work to do before qualifying and kept him in a familiar spot this season, one that has demanded repeated trips through Q1 as the Japanese Grand Prix weekend built toward Saturday.
Another approach needed for qualifying
Bagnaia now has to go through Q1 on Saturday, and he said the team will need another approach for qualifying after the setup changes it tried on Friday did not work. He said the new asphalt at Motegi did not make a difference, which put the focus back on the bike and the way it delivered power and braking. That leaves Ducati looking for a qualifying response before the main qualifying fight.
His own assessment pointed to a rider who understands the problem but has not found the fix yet. He said the setup direction changed, but the feel did not improve. He also said braking remained difficult, which made the lap harder to complete. Bagnaia remained the only Ducati GP26 rider not directly into Q2, a detail that underscored how far Friday had tilted away from his usual standard. The position adds more pressure to Saturday, because Q1 offers no easy route through a field that can punish one mistake and leave a rider outside the spots needed to move forward. Bagnaia will need a cleaner session and a stronger answer from the bike if he wants to turn the weekend back in his favor.
Ducati backs Bagnaia
Ducati team chief Davide Tardozzi still sees a path forward. He said the factory believes it has identified and fixed the braking problem affecting Bagnaia’s GP26, and he pointed to the same issue for Marc Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio at the Austrian Grand Prix. Tardozzi also said the Japanese circuit suits Bagnaia’s riding style and Ducati’s package, and he expects Bagnaia to be competitive at the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. That gives Ducati a different read from the one suggested by the Friday result, while the team remains confident in Bagnaia’s prospects.
The factory’s view frames Friday as a setback rather than a final judgment. Tardozzi’s comments suggest Ducati sees the braking problem as something it can solve. The circuit itself also works in Bagnaia’s favor, according to Tardozzi, which gives the team reason for confidence despite the Friday result. For now, though, the timing sheet still tells the sharper story. Bagnaia has work to do in Q1, he has to shake off a run of difficult Fridays and he needs Ducati to match its confidence with a fix that shows up where it matters most, in lap time.
