Dani Pedrosa points out “the decision by Ducati” which befuddled Pecco Bagnaia

Dani Pedrosa has identified the crucial Ducati decision which Pecco Bagnaia has struggled to overcome.

Bagnaia actually has scored more points in 2025 than at the same time last year - but he isn’t close to teammate Marc Marquez in the MotoGP standings.

Marquez leads the championship and factory Ducati teammate Bagnaia is third, 51 points behind.

Bagnaia, who has more experience on the Ducati, has struggled with front end feeling which is in stark contrast to Marquez’s comfort.

Pedrosa, a former teammate and rival of Marquez’s, has spotted the problem.

Dani Pedrosa spots Pecco Bagnaia's problem

"There are two points: the psychological, which is the first one he explained, and the media, everything that entails the fact that Ducati chooses him, that Ducati wants to have a bit of that style in the garage, where you have both roosters at the same time," Pedrosa said to DAZN.

"Pecco is in an awkward situation where he thinks, 'Why do I have to be here with Marc now?'

“That's not easy to digest, but when the situation is also put into reality, Marc starts to do fast laps, poles, victories, etc…

“You move on to the next zone which is 'how he does it or why he does it, and why it doesn't work out for me'.

"That's when your eyes go and you want to understand how the situation is going with Marc, how he's capable of doing those things.”

Pedrosa added: "Marc and Pecco are two different styles.

"Marc is a person who can have a bike with suspension springs or with a suspension setting, then with other different settings do the same lap time.

"On the other hand, Pecco has a style that needs to have the bike properly as he likes. And if you change it, maybe he's not so fast anymore and it's harder for him to make the times.

“But I think what Pecco is suffering the most is that decision by Ducati to have Marc in the box."

Ducati’s call to promote Marquez from Gresini last year essentially cost them Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi.

Pramac also ended up leaving Ducati to become a Yamaha satellite team.

But, so far, Ducati have been justified.

"Right now Marc, in front of his rivals, has two things that are very important: speed, and pace,” Pedrosa said.

“Because even if someone is as fast as him, Marc can keep it for longer.

"Although any rider who can ride at his level can be a threat, he can sustain it for longer in the race, either by setting, or by some other skill that he has not revealed to us right now.

“But he manages to maintain the times for many more laps.”