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Livio Suppo thinks Francesco Bagnaia’s season has raised questions about his future in MotoGP

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Archer | Last updated Apr 10, 2026 10:12 AM ET

Bagnaia’s slow start to the 2026 MotoGP season has led to fresh questions about his future in the sport, and Livio Suppo believes fans are missing out as a result.

There was genuine excitement around Bagnaia after pre-season testing, particularly in Sepang, where he looked to have moved past the struggles of his 2025 campaign. But none of that early promise has shown up once racing began.

After Bagnaia impressed during Sprint Race simulations at the Sepang test, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola went as far as telling Ducati’s competitors they should “go home”. But three rounds into the season, Bagnaia sits ninth in the standings with just 25 points.

Aprilia have come out strong early on, with Marco Bezzecchi leading teammate Jorge Martin by four points at the top of the standings. Fabio Di Giannantonio is currently Ducati’s highest-placed rider in fourth with 50 points, while Pedro Acosta sits third overall with 60 for KTM.

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Francesco Bagnaia’s ‘strange’ 2026 form makes it look ‘difficult’ for him to get back to his best

So far, Martin’s last-lap pass on Bagnaia in the COTA Sprint remains the Ducati rider’s highlight of 2026. The Italian managed P9 in both races in Thailand, finished eighth in the Goiania Sprint before crashing out of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and took 10th place in the United States GP.

Suppo described Bagnaia’s occasional strong showings as “strange”, pointing out that they raise bigger questions following a tough 2025 season. The two-time champion retired from six of the final seven Grands Prix last year and slipped to fifth in the standings, marking his worst season since 2020.

“What’s strange is seeing Pecco again only going fast in flashes,” Suppo told GPOne. “This is a cause for concern, because one bad year happens, but if he were to have two in a row, it would become more difficult. For the fans, it’s a bit of a shame.”

The VR46 ace Di Giannantonio (50), factory Ducati teammate Marc Marquez (45), and Gresini star Alex Marquez (28) all picked up more points than Bagnaia (25) over those opening three rounds and sit fourth, fifth, and eighth, respectively, after round three.

Bagnaia has pointed to tyre wear as a major problem after complaining about rear grip issues that left him struggling by lap eight during Austin’s main race. Rear grip problems have been consistent across this campaign so far, too.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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