Electric Cars

The Resurgence: How Strategic Ducati Modifications Fueled Bagnaia's Motegi Victory

Ducati's Technical Innovation: The Hybrid GP25

Francesco Bagnaia's impressive win in the Japanese Grand Prix sprint race was, in large part, a result of significant adjustments made to his Ducati MotoGP machine during the Misano test sessions. His performance had dipped since the beginning of the 2025 MotoGP season, reaching a low point after the summer break and raising concerns about his position within the Ducati team. Despite various attempts to resolve these issues over several months, a definitive solution remained elusive.

The Timely Misano Test: A Turning Point for Bagnaia

The timing of the Misano test proved fortuitous for Bagnaia, as it allowed him to re-establish a crucial connection with his motorcycle, which he felt had been hindering his true capabilities. During these tests, Ducati introduced a 'hybrid' version of the GP25, incorporating specific components from the previous year's model, including elements of the swingarm, front forks, and aerodynamic package. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi chose not to specify whether the improvement was solely due to these changes or other factors, such as the mandated use of 355mm brakes at Motegi. He stated that the engineers found an 'ideal mix' to restore Bagnaia's desired feel for the bike.

Navigating Regulations: Blending Past and Present Technologies

Although a complete return to the GP24 model is not permitted under existing regulations, Ducati has the flexibility to combine various components. Bagnaia elaborated on the modifications between the Misano test and the Motegi race weekend. He confirmed that while it wasn't a full reversion to the GP24, specific parts were changed that, despite previous inconsistencies, performed exceptionally well at Misano and Motegi. He humorously suggested these changes might have been made 'out of desperation,' but ultimately, they helped him ride more akin to his performance levels of the previous year. He also noted that some of these components are also present on Marc Marquez's bike, without explicitly confirming their origin from the 2024 model.

Reflecting on the Season: Missed Opportunities and Renewed Confidence

Bagnaia admits he doesn't fully understand why these technical adjustments are now proving effective, but he expresses immense satisfaction with the outcome. He couldn't help but ponder how different his season might have been if these solutions had been discovered earlier. The Misano test was the third and final pre-season test for 2025, implying that two earlier opportunities had been missed. Despite this, he emphasized that the team collectively worked towards this breakthrough. He believes that if this setup had been found during the Jerez test, his season could have taken a completely different trajectory. Nevertheless, he is content that the issues were resolved with six races remaining in the championship.

The Psychological Edge: Beyond Technical Adjustments

A notable divergence of opinion existed between Ducati and Bagnaia regarding the cause of his earlier struggles. Ducati maintained that the bike was not at fault and that Bagnaia needed to regain his self-confidence. Conversely, Bagnaia was convinced he was performing his best and that technical changes were necessary to revive his form. While the motorcycle itself has undergone modifications, the extent to which reverting to components that brought him 11 victories in the previous season had a psychological impact remains speculative. Additionally, the insights provided by former MotoGP star Casey Stoner during the Misano test offered Bagnaia a fresh perspective, further contributing to his renewed confidence. He now feels a profound sense of liberation on the bike, executing flawless starts and maintaining a strong pace throughout races, proving his belief that he could return to his peak performance.

Pirelli's recent two-day tire test for the 2026 Formula 1 season at Mugello was severely hampered by continuous rainfall, leading to a minimal acquisition of relevant data. Despite the participation of both Ferrari and Haas teams, who were scheduled to evaluate hard tire compounds, the prevailing wet conditions necessitated extensive running on intermediate and full wet tires. This environmental challenge restricted the teams' ability to gather conclusive information, pushing Pirelli to integrate the scarce new data with previous findings and schedule additional tests. However, the adverse weather did provide a valuable opportunity to assess wet tire performance under realistic conditions, offering some silver lining amidst the disrupted program.

The unexpected and persistent rain during the Mugello testing period meant that the primary objective of assessing hard compound tires for the 2026 season was largely unmet. This situation underscores the critical role weather plays in Formula 1 development, where controlled conditions are often essential for precise data collection. Nevertheless, the unexpected wet track time did allow for an evaluation of the intermediate and wet weather tires, contributing to their ongoing development, even if it detracted from the original focus. The motorsport community now looks forward to upcoming tests to ensure adequate preparation for the future tire specifications.

Inclement Weather Derailed 2026 Tire Development

Pirelli's recent two-day tire test in Mugello for the 2026 Formula 1 season encountered significant challenges due to incessant rain, severely limiting the acquisition of valuable data. The planned evaluation of hard tire compounds was largely thwarted as Ferrari and Haas drivers were compelled to primarily utilize intermediate and wet weather tires. This unfortunate turn of events meant that the test, designed to provide crucial insights into future tire specifications, could only offer a constrained dataset, forcing Pirelli to combine these limited results with historical information to draw any meaningful conclusions. Despite the advanced preparations, nature's unpredictability proved to be the ultimate determinant of the session's productivity.

The test, which saw Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu representing Ferrari, and Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman for Haas, aimed to refine the hardest tire compounds. However, the consistent downpour meant that most laps were completed on wet or intermediate rubber. Ferrari's Leclerc managed 25 laps, predominantly on intermediates, while Zhou completed 75 laps, with only a portion on slicks. Haas drivers Ocon and Bearman also navigated the wet track in their VF-24 mule car. Pirelli motorsport director Mario Isola acknowledged the disappointment, stating that the weather prevented the consistent running necessary to define the hard compounds. He highlighted that while the data collected was minimal for the intended purpose, the opportunity to test wet weather tires on a live circuit provided beneficial insights for their medium to long-term development. Isola expressed gratitude to both Ferrari and Haas for their cooperation during the challenging conditions. Lewis Hamilton, initially slated to participate, withdrew due to a personal matter involving his dog, Roscoe's, health.

Impact on Future Tire Development and Driver Participation

The disruption caused by heavy rain during the Mugello tire test has significantly impacted Pirelli's immediate data collection efforts for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The inability to extensively test the hard compounds as planned means that definitive conclusions regarding these crucial specifications remain elusive. This setback necessitates a reliance on combining the limited new data with existing information from previous sessions and underscores the importance of subsequent testing opportunities, particularly the two days scheduled after the Mexico City Grand Prix, to finalize the homologation of softer compounds. The incident highlights the intricate balance between technological advancement and environmental variables in motorsport, emphasizing the need for robust contingency planning in future test programs.

The two-day session at the demanding Mugello circuit, which typically offers an ideal environment for tire assessment, instead turned into an unplanned wet-weather evaluation. Charles Leclerc and Ferrari reserve driver Zhou Guanyu, alongside Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, spent much of their track time on non-slick tires. Leclerc's Thursday morning run included 25 laps, primarily on intermediates, while Zhou's afternoon session consisted of 75 laps, with some on slicks, achieving a best time of 1m22.012s. Ocon completed 40 laps on Friday, with a fastest time of 1m21.943s, and Bearman added 30 laps, clocking 1m34.381s. Additionally, Romain Grosjean had his first Formula 1 outing since his 2020 Bahrain crash, testing a 2023-spec VF-23 in a separate session. A notable absence was Lewis Hamilton, who withdrew due to his bulldog's critical health condition, underscoring the personal challenges drivers sometimes face. Pirelli now faces the task of synthesizing the fragmented data and maximizing upcoming test opportunities to progress with their 2026 tire development goals.