Bagnaia 50-50 on new Ducati MotoGP engine amid inferior braking

Francesco Bagnaia says he’s solely 50% positive about Ducati’s 2025 MotoGP engine as a result of destructive impression it has had on braking efficiency.

Two-time MotoGP champion Bagnaia has been trialling a brand new motor developed by Ducati throughout this week’s Sepang take a look at, however his preliminary response thus far has been blended.

On one hand, the Italian has been totally impressed by the elevated energy and the smoother energy supply, which has resulted in bettering the acceleration and the highest velocity of the Desmosedici.

Nevertheless, braking is one space the place the GP25 continues to lag behind its championship-winning predecessor, and this has compromised the bike on nook entry as properly.

Getting the engine proper earlier than the beginning of the season is extraordinarily essential for Ducati, with a brand new two-year improvement freeze which means no modifications will be made to the engine as soon as it’s homologated.

“We’re focusing extra on the engine,” mentioned Bagnaia. “We did a step in entrance right this moment [compared to Wednesday].

“The facility supply could be very clean and we prefer it loads. It is the primary time {that a} new engine is that clean when it comes to acceleration and that is nice.

“However even when we have now closed a little bit of hole, when it comes to braking it’s nonetheless a bit removed from the GP24. For tomorrow we have now to shut that hole and attempt to perceive which means we’re doing it.

“This take a look at is essential as a result of what we are saying from the take a look at will final two years and that call is essential.”

Braking was all the time a really robust level of the GP24, permitting riders to cease later and enter the corners properly. It is for that cause that Bagnaia has doubts over whether or not Ducati will ever be capable to replicate the identical efficiency in 2025.

Requested to elucidate how positive he was concerning the 2025 engine selection, Bagnaia added: “In the intervening time, 50-50.

“The factor is the GP24 is a incredible base and all of us really feel that it nonetheless has some margin. The GP25 is already very quick, and good on straights and acceleration.

“You’ll be able to [reach] prime velocity solely when the bike is exiting properly from the corners and that is the case, as a result of [the acceleration] could be very clean and you’ll handle the acceleration loads with the throttle.

“However in braking the GP24 was out of this world as a result of we have been doing one thing unimaginable on braking and that is one thing that’s troublesome to achieve for the time being with the ’25, even when we shut the hole [to the ’24 in the coming days].”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Staff

Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Pictures

Bagnaia clarified that he’s gaining time on Sepang’s lengthy straights on account of its superior acceleration and prime velocity, however the time loss from inferior braking efficiency was far higher.

“All of the [Ducati] bikes are accelerating [well] out of the corners. We now have to say that acceleration is working higher for me than all the remaining and helps to have a little bit of a spot,” he defined.

“However the hole right here in acceleration is just not the identical to the hole you’ll be able to have on using, braking and entry. So we have now to stability it a bit.

“On this second what we’re gaining on acceleration is a bit much less in comparison with what we’re dropping on braking.”