Rear tyre degradation forces Bagnaia, Marquez to ease off late Mugello

Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati reported clear technical progress this season, driven by electronics tweaks and balance changes that improved starts and front-end feeling. Bagnaia said Ducati were “getting closer” to fixing poor race starts and credited a package of changes introduced since the start of the season, including modified electronics and substantial balance adjustments. He welcomed the removal of some launch-control devices on safety and electronics grounds and said electronics tweaks at Mugello improved off-the-line pace, though he added that starts had weakened compared with 2024. He described the team as having “lost their way” last year and said Ducati had steadily progressed since the Jerez tests. He expected other teams to follow similar development paths but cautioned Ducati remained vulnerable compared with Honda, which he identified as having the best race starts, and acknowledged Aprilia’s systems progress. On track, balance changes helped immediately. Bagnaia said shifting his weight forward restored front-end feeling, a set-up tweak he highlighted in an Inside Ducati video and in parc fermé comments to crew chief Cristian Gabarrini. The change helped him lead the opening half of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, including ten laps at the front, and secure a third-place finish — his first on-track podium of the season and his first consecutive podiums in nearly 12 months. He held off late pressure from Ai Ogura after Ogura posted a rapid penultimate lap, and he battled Aprilia riders Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin during the race. Bagnaia and others suffered high rear-tyre wear late in the race. He described rear grip as “the only thing I’m lacking,” and reports from Mugello showed rear degradation forced both Bagnaia and Marc Marquez to drop pace, with Marquez saying he “gave up with 10 laps to go.” The pattern underlined that front-end gains boosted early race pace but rear tyre life remained a limiting factor. The Mugello result and the technical steps set up a challenging run of races. Ducati sporting director Gigi Dall’Igna praised Bagnaia’s aggressive early pace on LinkedIn, calling him a “braveheart,” and framed Ducati as resilient despite Aprilia’s early dominance this season. Bagnaia arrived at the Balaton round off the Mugello podium but called Balaton Park unfavourable, saying the circuit was “from riches to rags” and “by far the ugliest one that exists,” and noted the event would not return there next season. Balaton was identified as a test of race craft and strategy after a ninth-place finish there the previous year. Ducati’s recent technical progress had closed some gaps, but persistent rear-tyre wear and grip shortfalls remained the key hurdles to consistent victories.