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‘If you can't brake in the lean, you're f*****’ - Ducati Lenovo's Francesco Bagnaia hopeful ahead of Grand Prix Catalunya
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Published 05/09/2025 at 11:43 GMT+1
Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia has explained that a change to his bike at Hungary has left him feeling hopeful for this season's Grand Prix Catalunya. Despite a tough time at Balaton Park, the two-time world champion is optimistic that the new setup will make him more competitive after a season where he has struggled to match his and others' expectations.
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Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia has said that problems with his bike meant that he was "f******" in previous races.
The two-time world champion finished just behind Jorge Martin last season in the race for the title, and there were hopes that 2025 would take him back to the top.
However, his team-mate Marc Marquez has enjoyed a blistering start to the season with his new team, while the Italian has struggled to produce anything close to his best.
The pressure has been growing on the Italian to perform, and his position has been made worse by a woeful time in the previous round at Balaton Park in Hungary.
However, despite a ninth-placed finish there, he believes that some changes to his bike have made him much more competitive ahead of the race in Spain this weekend - to be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
"We're talking about just under two centimetres, we were at the lowest point of the season, and it was the right time to try something really different," he said to the press.
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"I always have maximum confidence, I manage to reset to face the weekend with the right mentality.
"But then I immediately reach the limit and struggle to go beyond that limit.
"In the last race I was able to follow the other riders and overtake, managing the gas and fuel consumption better.
"It was fantastic. This makes me think I can start the weekend in a different direction.
"Compared to before, what has changed is that now I can brake in the corners while maintaining the lean, something I've been missing all season.
"If you can't brake in the lean, you're f*****. That was my problem.
"We had tried compromise solutions, but now I've understood that halfway choices never work.
"It was a sort of return to the past. It's always a desperate step when you're trying to make a big difference."
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Last season, Bagnaia triumphed at both races in Catalonia, but Marquez is installed as the favourite this time around.
World championship leader Marquez believes that this weekend's race might be the toughest of the season.
He suggested that this could be a weekend where his dominance comes to an end, and said his younger brother Alex Marquez, the closest rival in the title race this season, could be dangerous.
"It could be [the toughest]," he acknowledged. "Maybe it's time to stop these victories in a row. We don't know. We will try to fight for the top.
"But it's true that, not only Alex [is fast], also Pecco won the last two GPs here. Also, Aprilia, normally here with Aleix [Espargaro], was super fast.
"So let's see if we can be with that top group."
Stream every race of the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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