Casey Stoner believes Francesco Bagnaia "got the short straw" amid his Ducati struggles, arguing that too many people dismissed the Italian's complaints about the bike before he was ultimately dropped by the factory.
Throughout 2025, Bagnaia suggested that something had fundamentally changed on the Desmosedici, as he went from a title contender in 2024 to an also-ran on occasions. Although he managed to secure two grand prix wins and several other podiums in 2025, he largely struggled for speed, failing to finish the last six out of seven races
