Francesco Bagnaia has raised fresh concerns over Ducati’s tyre behaviour in the 2026 MotoGP season, pointing to what he describes as “very strange” rear tyre consumption on the GP26.
The two-time world champion feels the current Ducati package is overly dependent on rear grip to make the bike turn, which is in turn accelerating tyre wear during races. According to Bagnaia, this characteristic is becoming more noticeable in the closing stages, where his pace tends to drop significantly compared to rivals.
The issue was again highlighted during recent races, including the Americas Grand Prix at COTA, where Bagnaia lost a Sprint victory on the final lap after being caught and overtaken. His late-race decline was more pronounced than expected, with multiple riders closing him down in the final phase of the race.
Bagnaia explained that even when managing his pace, the rear tyre appears to degrade heavily, leaving him struggling for grip in the final laps. He believes this is linked to the GP26’s balance, where the front end provides limited turning support, forcing the rear tyre to take on more load than ideal.
This pattern has been visible across multiple rounds, where strong early race pace has not consistently translated into race wins or podium finishes. Instead, Bagnaia has often found himself defending positions late in races as tyre performance drops off.
The Italian’s comments add to ongoing discussion inside MotoGP about how current-generation bikes manage rear tyre pressure and degradation, particularly under high-load conditions and in closely fought races.
While Ducati continues to analyse data to understand the issue, Bagnaia’s feedback suggests that solving rear tyre life may be just as important as outright performance if he is to return to consistent race-winning form in 2026.
