Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati): Retired at Assen, fatherly joy at home!

Racers are generally very reluctant to look back on a retirement from a race. The one suffered by Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia at Assen is likely to be a rare exception. The Italian suddenly fell back after 15 of the 26 GP laps at the TT Circuit, rolled into the garage and had to retire – and then hurried off to the airport. In fact, the retirement fitted in quite nicely with his plans. Because Ducati factory rider Bagnaia has become a father for the first time!

The Italian Ducati rider started the race from fifth on the grid and was keeping up well with the leading group of Aprilias. Until, that is, he was forced to retire after 15 laps due to a problem with his bike. However, he was unable to speak to the journalists present about his race or what had gone wrong with the bike – understandably, Bagnaia set off for Italy immediately after the race had finished.

Willkommen zum Rennen in Assen

Foto: Gold & Goose

Marc Márquez und Pecco Bagnaia

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Luca Marini

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Raul Fernandez

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Fabio Quartararo

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Start des Rennens

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Jorge Martin

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Marc Márquez und Fabio Di Giannantonio

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Brad Binder

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Pedro Acosta

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Enea Bastianini

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Raul Fernandez und Ai Ogura

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Alex Márquez

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Miller und Morbidelli

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Ai Ogura gewinnt das Rennen

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Sieger Ai Ogura

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Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura und Team

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Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura, Jorge Martin

Foto: Gold & Goose

Assen-Sieger Ai Ogura

Foto: Gold & Goose

Willkommen zum Rennen in Assen

© Gold & Goose

His Ducati team announced: “In light of the wonderful and unexpected news we received this morning, Pecco’s media commitments today have been cancelled. He is on his way to the airport to return to Italy to be with his FAMILY as soon as possible.” Family in capital letters. That means: Pecco Bagnaia became a father on the morning of the Assen race. He competed in the GP nonetheless.

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Bagnaia married his great love, Domizia, in July 2024. The couple had kept the pregnancy a secret for a long time. A few days ago, Domizia appeared on her social media channels for the first time showing her baby bump. And now, just a few days later, Bagnaia Junior has been born!

Diesen Plüsch-Hasen hatte Bagnaia in seiner Garage

Foto: Ducati Lenovo Team

To celebrate this and also to make a formal announcement within the motorsport community, Bagnaia had a soft toy rabbit in his Ducati garage. In front of it stood a pair of tiny blue baby shoes; next to the rabbit was a little card with a blue pattern and a bow, bearing the inscription ‘Benvenuto!’, meaning ‘Welcome’ in the masculine form in Italian. So that means: the new arrival in the Bagnaia household is a boy. Our best wishes go out to Mum, Dad and Junior Bagnaia!