The drama at Le Mans is far from over, as Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi has publicly challenged Francesco Bagnaia's explanation for his crash during the 2026 French Grand Prix. The incident, which saw the two-time MotoGP champion tumble out of second place on Lap 16, has ignited a war of words between rider and team boss.

Bagnaia's tough start to the season continued last Sunday at the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe. Running strong in P2 and under pressure from KTM's Pedro Acosta, he lost control at Turn 3—part of the tricky Dunlop Chicane—ending his race prematurely. It marked his third retirement in just five rounds this season, and an alarming ninth DNF in the last 12 races. So far, his only finishes are a ninth place in Thailand and a tenth in the United States.

According to former racer Marco Melandri, Bagnaia's Ducati showed clear signs of front-end instability just before the crash, hinting at a potential mechanical fault. That aligns with Bagnaia's own assessment. After the race, the 31-time Grand Prix winner suggested that a recurring front brake issue—the same one that forced him out of the Spanish Grand Prix—was to blame.

But Tardozzi isn't buying it. Speaking to Sky Sports Italy, the Ducati team manager was blunt: "I can't say anything, but there was a problem—it wasn't a technical issue. All I can say is that it wasn't a technical issue. I think something must have thrown him off, which is why he, unfortunately, made a mistake. But I don't think we can blame it on a technical issue."

Bagnaia, however, remained measured but firm when discussing the brake problem that plagued him at both Jerez and Le Mans. "A little [problem]," he told TNT Sports after the Spanish GP. "The team are working on it to understand the situation, but something that unluckily can happen. I started the race a bit uncomfortable, but I was able to remain quite competitive."

The contrast in perspectives is striking. While Bagnaia insists the GP26 has a mechanical gremlin—pointing to the fact that other Ducati riders, like Alex Marquez (winner at Jerez) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (P3), didn't suffer the same issue—Tardozzi's comments suggest a belief that rider error played a bigger role. As the season heats up, this internal rift could be a storyline to watch, especially as Bagnaia fights to turn his championship campaign around.