MotoGP Sepang Test J1: Pecco Bagnaia Expresses Sympathy for Jorge Martin After a Tough Day on Hard Tyres
The 2025 MotoGP pre-season is officially underway, with the first day of testing at the Sepang International Circuit providing valuable insights into the performance of teams and riders. Defending world champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) ended the day 17th on the timesheets, as the Italian focused on long runs and tire testing rather than outright lap times. However, his day was overshadowed by concerns for fellow Ducati rider Jorge Martin, who struggled with the harder tire allocation.
Bagnaia: “I’m Really Sorry for Jorge Martin”
Speaking after the session, Bagnaia reflected on the challenges of the day, particularly in terms of tire choice. He revealed that riders had to push themselves to use a harder compound, which negatively affected some competitors, including Martin (Pramac Racing).
> “I’m really sorry for Jorge Martin,” Bagnaia said. “Today we had to force ourselves to use a harder tyre, and it wasn’t easy for anyone. The grip levels were different from what we expected, and some riders had a harder time adapting.”
Martin, who finished further down the order, appeared to struggle with rear grip, a critical factor in Ducati’s performance. While Bagnaia was able to manage the situation, it was clear that not everyone in the Ducati camp found the test conditions favorable.
Testing Focus: Data Gathering Over Lap Times
Despite finishing 17th, Bagnaia was not overly concerned with his position on the leaderboard. Ducati’s primary focus in the first Sepang test was data collection and evaluating new parts, including adjustments to the aerodynamics and electronics package for the 2025 Desmosedici GP.
> “The lap times are not the priority right now. We are working on understanding the new package, trying different settings, and collecting information that will help us for the season,” Bagnaia explained.
Ducati continues to fine-tune its bike to ensure it remains competitive in the face of growing competition from Aprilia, KTM, and Honda. Several riders, including Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi, also worked on long-run consistency rather than single-lap pace.
What’s Next?
With two more days of testing in Sepang, Ducati and its riders still have time to optimize their setup and get a better understanding of their race package. Bagnaia remains focused on improving his bike’s balance, particularly in terms of acceleration and tire management.
Meanwhile, Jorge Martin will be hoping for a more positive result on Day 2, as he aims to put the struggles of the first session behind him.
MotoGP fans will be closely watching how Ducati’s riders adapt to the evolving track conditions and whether they can extract more pace from the 2025 machine as testing progresses.
Stay tuned for more updates from the Sepang Test!
