Bagnaia Surprises Himself with Record Lap Despite Feeling Slow at Emilia Romagna MotoGP Practice

Francesco Bagnaia experienced a sense of slowness during Emilia Romagna MotoGP practice

The world champion reflects on his practice session at Misano

Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati revealed he "felt sluggish" during Friday's MotoGP practice session at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and was "astonished" by the lap times he achieved.

The two-time world champion led the Friday practice session, setting a new lap record during MotoGP's second stop at Misano, outperforming the current front-runner Jorge Martin with a time of 1m30.286s.

Additionally, Bagnaia, who secured the pole position during the initial Misano event, demonstrated remarkable speed throughout the race, establishing himself as a top contender for the win this weekend, alongside Martin.

Bagnaia shared his thoughts on the day, stating, "The lap time we achieved today was surprising, especially since the track conditions this afternoon didn't feel optimal due to a lack of grip in both the rear and the front."

"I experienced significant locking and considerable rear movement at the limit."

"However, the speed at which we were completing laps was astounding. I believe Jorge and I introduced a unique approach compared to the rest."

"Our speed is incredibly high and rapid with the medium rear, and then the time trial was outstanding."

"I'm really pleased. I believe we'll make some progress tomorrow, though the cooler temperatures in the morning might make the time attack a bit challenging. Overall, though, I'm feeling good about it."

Bagnaia mentioned that despite the fast lap times he was clocking, he didn't perceive himself as particularly speedy. He also pointed out that this week, he's been able to devote his full attention to riding, having completely recuperated from the injuries he sustained during the Aragon Grand Prix.

"I may have felt sluggish, but the lap times were improving, likely because my acceleration and braking were quite smooth, and the bike was performing effectively," he shared.

"The sole section where my pace decreased was at the corner's midpoint due to suboptimal traction."

"However, the moment I began to ride [the bike], I found the grip immediately. It left me quite surprised when, on my initial outing, I managed a 1m31.9 on the medium."

"However, things improved significantly, and now, unlike two weeks ago, my concentration can solely be on adjusting the bike instead of figuring out how to manage my body due to discomfort."

"This has significantly impacted me."

The Ducati competitor thinks matching his top lap time from Friday in the qualifying rounds might be challenging due to anticipated cooler weather, and opting for a soft front tire isn't feasible.

He responded significantly to the query about the impact of conditions on qualifying, explaining, "because we are also unable to opt for the soft front due to its excessive softness, which leads to considerable locking and movement, especially in the quick turns."

"Thus, we'll grasp it by tomorrow, yet I believe we might require an additional lap to adequately heat the front tire before making our move."

Explore Further

Sign up for our MotoGP Bulletin

Receive up-to-date MotoGP updates, exclusive stories, behind-the-scenes conversations, and special offers straight to your email.

For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.

Recent Updates

Additional Updates

Site Index

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Reproducing, in whole or in part, any texts, photos, or illustrations is strictly prohibited in any manner.