Francesco Bagnaia got back on a podium with P3 in the 2025 Aragon Grand Prix, but fell to 93 points behind Ducati teammate Marc Marquez in the riders’ championship.
The 28-year-old had not stood on a podium for a Sprint or a Grand Prix over the two rounds prior to the Aragon GP. He also failed to score a point in the Aragon Sprint on Saturday after Bagnaia came home in P12. Yet the Italian found a better groove this Sunday to finish in P3.
Saturday’s Sprint Race proved to be a nightmare for Bagnaia as he faded from fourth on the grid to P13, before only making one place back. Sunday’s Aragon GP was a different affair in Alcaniz, though, as Bagnaia got aggressive in his fights with Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta.
Davide Tardozzi refuses to rule out Francesco Bagnaia winning the 2025 MotoGP title
Bagnaia ultimately finished 1.102 seconds behind Gresini rider Alex Marquez and 2.209s to his Ducati teammate, as Marc Marquez dominated to win the Aragon GP. He also now trails the brothers in the standings with Marc leading Alex on 201 with 233, and Bagnaia has 140.
Yet Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi still refuses to rule out Bagnaia winning the title in the 2025 MotoGP season, despite Marc Marquez moving 93 points clear after his win at the Aragon GP. Tardozzi also recalls Bagnaia’s historic comeback to lift his first title during 2022.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
But if Bagnaia is to win his third MotoGP title, Tardozzi is clear that his ‘first’ task must be to catch Alex Marquez before he can target Marc. The Gresini and Ducati stars have both made five Grand Prix podiums in 2025, but Alex has made all eight Sprint podiums to Bagnaia’s six.
Tardozzi told TNT Sports 2 (8/7, 14:20): “Obviously, we still have 15 races to go. So, why not? At [the] half-season [point] three seasons ago, he was 91 points behind. So, never say never. First of all, we have to catch Alex, and then we’ll see.”
Francesco Bagnaia completed a historic comeback to win his first MotoGP title in 2022
Alex Marquez has established his title hopes on consistency, having finished all eight Sprint Races plus five Grands Prix in the top two. Gresini’s Marquez won the Silverstone Sprint, as well, but he then missed out on a Grand Prix podium for only the third time this year in P5.
Bagnaia has lacked the 29-year-old’s sort of consistency, with the 28-year-old finishing first in one Grand Prix, second once, third three times, fourth once, 16th once and retiring once. Ducati are running out of patience with Bagnaia for arguing the GP25 does not suit him, too.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Alex Marquez from net worth to career stats
So, Tardozzi will be a welcome voice in the Turin native’s ear, as he reminds Bagnaia that the VR46 Riders Academy product lifted his first title in 2022 after overturning the largest points deficit in MotoGP ever. He trailed Fabio Quartararo by 91 points after the 10th of 20 rounds.
The 2025 Aragon GP is only the eighth of this season’s record-setting 22 rounds, so Bagnaia indeed has heaps of time to turn things around in his fight against Alex but, above all, Marc Marquez. He also heads to Mugello next for the Italian Grand Prix, which will suit Bagnaia.
