Francesco Bagnaia’s father: “The only time I had to raise my voice…”

Many years later Bagnaia became the first Italian since Valentino Rossi in 2009 to win the MotoGP championship, and the first rider for Italian team Ducati to win it since 2007.

But an argument between parents of young riders endangered his dream.

“Only once did we fight,” Pietro Bagnaia told MOW Mag about his son.

“I threatened him that we would stop. There were parents who [were fighting] over things that happened on the track among the children. 

“A decidedly bad scene and Pecco was disappointed, partly because he had gotten nervous beyond the limit and partly because I had kept myself out of that [chaos] that, frankly, I found out of place. 

“I don't know if he expected me to go and throw myself into the fray, but I told him that if the environment was like this, and he continued to suffer so much instead of just thinking about having fun, we would change sports. 

“He didn't say anything anymore and that was the only time I had to raise my voice to him in his entire career. 

“Raising your is voice with Pecco is impossible: he is a really good guy. You forgive him everything. Even at school he was good, he did his school career without any particular problems.”

Pietro Bagnaia was asked what sacrifices he made as a parent to facilitate his son’s dream: “In the history of motorsport, incredible anecdotes are told about fathers, sons, inhuman debts and vans. 

“But I have to be honest: we made an effort as we must always do, but I can't talk about sacrifices. Maybe we were luckier than others, but I would say that when you see a son so happy, so committed and obstinate in doing what he likes, you don't want to talk about sacrifices. 

“I think I can say that I have not made any sacrifices. It is a family story, we have always been all together, it was beautiful and the fact that today Pecco is so linked to all of us and also to always looking for an environment that seems a bit like home is probably the [moral] of this story. 

“The push has always come from him, it is he who has dragged us all. It meant being together and having fun, the future was not really thought about, or maybe only Pecco thought about it with his determination.”

Young Pecco Bagnaia was almost encouraged into a different type of racing.

“I, like my brother, am very fond of horses,” his father said. “I wanted him as a jockey! 

“In truth I tried with all my children, but there was no way. For heaven's sake, I've always liked bikes, I've had them and I've also done some sessions and some races on the track, but I certainly can't say that I was one of those fathers who raise their children on bread and motorcycles. Pecco did everything himself!”