Francesco Bagnaia is the ‘opposite of Casey Stoner’ for one very clear reason according to his Ducati crew chief

Since moving from Pramac in 2021, Francesco Bagnaia has been Ducati’s golden rider in MotoGP.

Finishing runner-up with the factory team in his first season, the Italian won two consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023. Bagnaia lost his crown in 2024 to Jorge Martin by just 10 points, having won 11 out of 20 races.

Bagnaia says it will take ‘years to digest’ the defeat as he looks to regain his title in 2025. However, the 28-year-old is facing immense pressure from his teammate Marc Marquez.

The Italian has offered little competition for the six-time MotoGP champion. The Spaniard is already 72 points ahead of Bagnaia, leading brother Alex by 24 points after seven rounds.

The Desmosedici GP25 has proved difficult to handle for Bagnaia as he struggles to find any feeling out of the front of the bike. Fans think Marquez aimed a dig at Bagnaia, claiming that it is on the rider if they cannot work with the bike after several setup changes.

Despite his struggles, Bagnaia remains in the title picture and is one of Ducati’s top riders in recent MotoGP history. He joins the likes of fellow champions Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner to have ridden for the Italian manufacturer.

Cristian Gabarrini says Francesco Bagnaia is the ‘opposite of Casey Stoner’ with his ‘composed’ riding style

Bagnaia’s crew chief Cristian Gabarrini has had the privilege of working with MotoGP legends such as Lorenzo and Stoner at Ducati. The former joined the manufacturer towards the end of his career, while the latter won his first premier class title with them.

Having worked with so many elite names in the sport, naturally, many will wonder how they compare. Speaking via Bagnaia’s official YouTube channel, Gabarrini says Lorenzo and the Italian are ‘very similar’, but his riding style makes him the ‘opposite of Casey Stoner’.

“I’d say Pecco is the opposite of Casey Stoner and very similar to Jorge Lorenzo,” he said.

“In terms of riding style, approach to speed and work ethic, in general, the riding style are really similar. Pecco’s riding style is like an evolution of Jorge’s: smooth, composed, minimal movement.

“Pecco was the first to really bring high corner speed to Ducati, at a time when the bike wasn’t exactly known for turning well.

“His way of tackling problems and his working approach are very much like Jorge’s. Casey, on the other hand, was much more instinctive. That’s the big difference.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Francesco Bagnaia’s Ducati career compared to Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo

Having joined MotoGP in 2020, Bagnaia never got the chance to compete against Lorenzo or Stoner. The former left the sport the year prior in 2019, while the latter called time on his career back in 2012.

Lorenzo enjoyed the peak of his success in MotoGP at Yamaha, winning his three titles with the manufacturer. While Bagnaia and Stoner won titles with Ducati, the Spaniard only managed three wins in 2018, having spent two seasons with them.

Stoner moved to Ducati from LCR Honda in 2007, winning his maiden MotoGP title that season. The Aussie spent another three years with the Bologna outfit before returning to Honda in 2011.

Bagnaia will be determined to beat Stoner and match Lorenzo’s record of three titles with Ducati, but it seems increasingly unlikely that the championship will come in 2025. Despite his struggles, Luigi Dall’Igna says Bagnaia deserves respect as he remains an ‘exceptional’ person behind the scenes.