Francesco Bagnaia returns to Jerez this weekend aiming for a fourth straight Spanish GP victory, and to slow down the blazing form of his Ducati teammate Marc Marquez. 💨
“We have always been very fast here,” Bagnaia said. “I’ve achieved a lot in Jerez the past three years and I’m happy to return.”
Bagnaia’s dominance at the Andalusian circuit includes three consecutive wins and a fierce 2023 battle against Marquez that left literal tyre marks on the Spaniard’s leathers.
Despite a crash in Qatar qualifying that left him starting 11th, Bagnaia recovered to finish second (after Vinales’ penalty), keeping himself in the title fight. But the pressure is on — Marquez has won 7 of the first 8 races and Bagnaia now trails him by 26 points, also sitting behind Alex Marquez in the Ducati pecking order.
Jerez, though, may be Bagnaia’s best shot to turn the tide. His smooth, precise style perfectly suits the technical Spanish layout, and Ducati’s edge grip and acceleration are major assets on this track.
But with Marquez now riding the same factory-spec GP25, the duel is on a whole new level.
Game on.
