Pecco Bagnaia is currently lagging behind Marc Marquez, as seen in their practice performances for the 2025 Argentina MotoGP. Bagnaia finished 16th, while Marquez set a new lap record. Despite some improvements, Bagnaia did not achieve the desired pace compared to his teammate, indicating he needs significant progress to compete effectively.
Pecco Bagnaia has demonstrated that he is still trailing behind his Ducati counterpart, Marc Marquez, as evidenced by their performance in the opening round of the 2025 MotoGP season. During practice for the Argentina Grand Prix, Bagnaia struggled initially, finishing 16th and 1.351 seconds behind the leader, while Marquez topped the session, setting a new all-time lap record. Conditions at Termas de Rio Hondo were challenging, with poor grip and damp patches impacting performance.
Despite early difficulties, Bagnaia made a notable time gain but crashed during his time attack, which contributed to a precarious position near the top ten. He managed to qualify for Q2 by a narrow margin, showing resilience in avoiding a second consecutive early exit. In contrast, Marquez exhibited exceptional pace, improving on the record he previously set in 2014. Bagnaia’s promising lap was overshadowed by Marquez’s performance, leaving the latter in a commanding position.
Following his disappointing results in Thailand, Bagnaia expressed frustration but remained hopeful. He acknowledged improvements to his braking during practice, which resulted in a better performance. He believes that he could have achieved an even faster time without the crash but remains aware that he still falls short of Marquez’s consistency and speed. Although he proclaimed readiness for competition, he must refine his performance further to compete closely with Marquez.
Marquez, who previously indicated a strong form after his return from injury, demonstrated that he can still produce a powerful performance despite a hiatus from racing in Argentina. He highlighted possible contenders, mentioning Bagnaia’s speed while cautiously acknowledging the competitiveness of riders such as Marco Bezzecchi. Meanwhile, the Friday practice results showed that Bagnaia’s average lap times fell short in comparison to Marquez, illustrating the ongoing gap in their performance levels.
In soft and medium tyre analyses, Bagnaia found himself consistently slower than Marquez, indicating that he must make significant strides if he hopes to challenge his teammate and lead the pack. As the track conditions evolve, there is potential for shifts in the competition landscape, yet Marquez seems poised for continued dominance during the race weekend.
In summary, Pecco Bagnaia is facing challenges in matching Marc Marquez’s pace as demonstrated in the Friday practice sessions of the Argentina MotoGP. While Bagnaia has shown moments of improvement, particularly in braking, he ultimately lags behind his teammate in both soft and medium tyre performance. Marquez continues to assert his speed and dominance, leaving Bagnaia with the task of accelerating his growth to compete effectively. As the race weekend progresses, closer examination of track conditions will be key to determining the competitive dynamics going forward.
Original Source: www.crash.net
