Photos of Australia’s run-down Bagnaia and images of Ducati guru Dall’Igna looking away: “I was a passenger, that’s all”

Pecco Bagnaia We are in an extreme situation. While it seemed like rock bottom had hit rock bottom in Mandalika, the situation is just as dire, or even further down, on Phillip Island. The Italian took second-last place in the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix sprint, finishing 32 seconds behind the winner.Marco Bezzecchi, in just 13 laps.

only Michele PirroThe rider who replaced Marc Marquez in the official Ducati box finished behind him and very close to him. They told us in Japan that two red bikes would round out the later Race 2 Grand Prix, but we would think that was a joke.

For the same reason, When Pecco entered the Ducati box, the image said it all. The two-time MotoGP champion arrived completely depressed, without saying a word. The ordeal isn’t over, it’s getting bigger, but he doesn’t have an answer. He sat there without taking off his helmet and without speaking to anyone.

And finally, GDucati guru Igi Dall’Igna made no attempt to support the rider, just looking elsewhere. The team, which has been the true champion of MotoGP in recent years, is in great despair and is no longer responding in any way. Just disbelief.

”In the sprint he was a passenger, but that was it. I had to stop for gas many times to prevent the bike from shaking.. You can clearly see that the bike moves well. We’ve been trying to understand what’s going on for a long time. It is clear that it has nothing to do with tuning or electronics. What happened in Japan is normal,” Pecco explained at Corralito in a statement later reported by Motorsport.com.

Pecco asserted that, despite the fact that “Ducati has built four or five bikes for me from scratch,” the feeling coming from Austria is much worse than at the beginning of the season. When asked why Marc Marquez could use the same material on Australian soil, Pecco clarified: ”If Marc was here, he probably would have been on the podium.But you can’t stop the bike from moving.

The truth is that Ducati’s dominance in recent races has been threatened by other brands. Without further ado, at Phillip Island it will be the first time since the 2020 European Grand Prix that a Borgo Panigale bike has failed to line up on the front row of the grid in qualifying. It will also be the first time since the format was created in 2023 that Ducati will not be on the sprint podium.

Fortunately for the benefit of the Italian people, The historic year in which Marc Márquez debuted in red has already secured Ducati’s third treble in history. But there are also concerns. There is no paradise without Marquez. From touching heaven in Japan to falling to hell in Australia. The official Italian team has a big problem that is difficult to solve. It’s time to see how they can react.