Austrian GP Practice: Francesco Bagnaia Takes 3rd – “For the First Time This Year, I’m Happy with the Front-End Feel” | MotoGP 2025
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) wrapped up the opening day of the Austrian Grand Prix in 3rd place, showing strong pace and, more importantly, a renewed confidence in his braking performance. Focusing his work on used tyres and front-end behavior, Bagnaia reported a breakthrough in feel—especially under braking.
Confidence Under Braking
Bagnaia attributed his improved feeling largely to the use of 355mm brake discs, which are allowed at the Red Bull Ring due to its heavy braking zones. For the first time this season, the reigning world champion said he was genuinely satisfied with the front-end performance.
“I’m really happy today. We focused on used tyres and the front end, and the bike’s setup felt good. I’m especially pleased with the braking—it’s the first time this year I’ve felt this confident with the front. The feeling was great during the time attack too, so overall I’m satisfied.”
“We used the 355mm discs here, and that could be part of the reason. I was really able to brake hard today, and that made a big difference.”
Rear-End Struggles and New Electronics
Despite the front-end improvement, Bagnaia admitted there are still issues with rear-end stability, saying that riding consistently remains more difficult than it was in 2024.
“It’s still hard to be consistent with the rear. Compared to last year, the bike feels a bit more difficult to manage.”
Bagnaia also noted that while Marc and Alex Márquez may have tested a new slide control system, he hasn’t yet adapted to it:
“I think Marc and Alex were using the new slide control today. I haven’t gotten used to it yet—it feels strange to me.”