Bagnaia on the best bike? “Everyone said Rossi only won because of Honda”

Ducati’s Desmosedici proved itself to be the top machinery on the grid last year when Bagnaia chased down a 92-point deficit to deliver his team’s first MotoGP championship in 15 years.

He began 2023 with a double-victory at the first round and Ducati look set to dominate - but Bagnaia has offered a reminder of past accusations towards his mentor Rossi.

• Valentino Rossi’s immediate reaction revealed after VR46’s first victory

“When Valentino won with Honda, everyone said that he only won because he was with a Honda,” Bagnaia said to Marca. 

“[They said] that Marc Marquez only won by going with a Honda, so it's always like that.”

The legendary Rossi proved that claim emphatically wrong by moving to Yamaha to claim a further four premier class championships.

“I feel like it's normal that you can't be good for everyone,” Bagnaia continued. 

“You can't be a fan of everyone. It's the way it is. 

“You have 90 percent people happy for you, and you are happy for them, but there are always 10 percent on the other side, who speak badly of you. 

“Of course, when you read the comments or listen to a podcast in which someone speaks badly of you, you feel worse, but after watching it, I just think that the most important thing is to win, the only thing left for history is the championship and not the words that are spoken. That's what's important.”

• Tardozzi: ‘We can’t crucify’ Bagnaia, ‘he has matured from the mistakes’

Bagnaia, a VR46 Academy graduate, was Italy’s first MotoGP champion since Rossi in 2009, and Ducati’s first since Casey Stoner in 2007.

He is the reigning champion of a new, emerging crop of riders while the esteemed Marc Marquez continues battling away.

The factory Ducati rider said about the current state of MotoGP: “I watch F1 and I'm a big fan of F1. I love the championship and the moves they are making to reach that level, in terms of attendance and achieve so many important people in their paddock. 

“I think they're doing a great job. We have to look at that championship to improve ours because I think the show we can give to the fans is bigger than F1, just because we fight more. It's easy to have big battles. 

“It must also be said that the greatest of all time is in his house. Valentino is gone. So we have to start doing something different. 

“I think Dorna is doing a good job. We have to take another step, but for sure the schedules and changes made for this year will help a bit to achieve a higher level of fans and people watching MotoGP. 

“It is not correct to say, 'It's not fair'; The right thing to do is to say, 'I'll try it.'”

The MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas is this weekend.