The top five moments from Pecco Bagnaia’s career
Relive the highlights of the recently crowned World Champion’s career from Moto3™ to MotoGP™
It’s been a long time coming, but Ducati finally have their second MotoGP™ World Championship. The efforts of the irrepressible Francesco Bagnaia in 2022 have delivered a first title in 15 years to the Borgo Panigale factory, and a second world title to the Italian rider.
It is undoubtedly Pecco’s crowning achievement in the sport, but there have been others, and below we take a look at the top five moments from his career to date!
1. A breakthrough 2016 campaign
Having been on the World Championship stage for the previous three seasons, 2016 saw Bagnaia mature into a fine rider with Moto3™ title credentials. He claimed six podiums during that campaign, two of which were wins when riding with the Aspar team. That first-ever win came at Assen, where he rode his Mahindra machinery to the top step.
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Mahindra make history
However, it was his second victory, which fittingly came in Malaysia, that saw him rewarded with a chance to make his debut on MotoGP™ machinery at the end-of-season Valencia Test on a Ducati; an opportunity he grabbed with both hands.
2. Taking a maiden World Championship in 2018
Roll the clock back to four years ago, and Pecco was celebrating becoming the Moto2™ World Champion at Sepang. Riding with the VR46 Racing Team, a third place finish was enough to see him over the line against Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as he cracked 300 points.
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Pecco Bagnaia masters Moto2™: a Champion is crowned
In total, he recorded eight wins and four further podiums on his way to Championship glory.
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Bagnaia: “It’s just been incredible”
3. Trumping Marquez in MotorLand
Having moved to the premier class in 2019, Bagnaia experienced all the ups and downs on the learning curve. A first podium came in 2020 at Misano, before a week later he crashed out of a comfortable lead at the same circuit. After even more near misses, that breakthrough win finally came in 2021, and how!
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How the world watched a battle for the ages in Aragon!
In what was an instant classic, Pecco held his nerve to withstand a late onslaught from Marc Marquez on the final laps, denying the Repsol Honda rider on seven different occasions to take his first-ever MotoGP™ victory. That win had a domino effect, as the Italian took three more wins and a podium in the closing five races to launch a late title charge.
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“Rossi told me that today was going to be my day” – Bagnaia
4. Making Ducati history
Once Bagnaia gets a run of form, he can be nigh on unstoppable. Having ironed out the inconsistencies that plagued the first half of the campaign, the number 63 recovered from back-to-back crashes in Catalunya and Germany by going on a four-race winning streak, the first time a Ducati rider has ever done so. Consecutive victories at Assen, Silverstone, the Red Bull Ring and Misano gave him the platform to launch his extraordinary 91-point title comeback.
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“The pace was incredible” – Bagnaia
5. Pecco Bagnaia, MotoGP™ World Champion
Without a doubt, the highlight of his career has come this weekend in Valencia. The Italian’s ninth place, together with a fourth for Fabio Quartararo, has left him with a 17-point lead at the end of the season. This means that Francesco Bagnaia has delivered the first Riders’ Championship to Ducati since 2007, and becomes the first Italian Champion since a certain Valentino Rossi in 2009.
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FREE: Bagnaia reaches the promised land in Valencia
Seven victories and three other podiums have helped Bagnaia reach the holy grail, and it is very much deserved. Congratulations Pecco!