Bagnaia’s Misano Frustration: Clutch Woes and Overheated Tyres Hand Victory to a “Better” Martin

Francesco Bagnaia, visibly upset, details his defeat in the Misano MotoGP sprint to a "superior" Jorge Martin

"I found no opportunity to pass him"

Francesco Bagnaia expressed frustration due to a problematic start caused by his Ducati's clutch and a front tyre that overheated during the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix sprint, circumstances that he believes enabled Jorge Martin to surpass him.

Bagnaia led the way in Friday's practice session at Misano, securing the top spot. He continued his dominant performance by securing pole position with a record-breaking lap time on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the leader in the championship

From the get-go of the 13-lap dash, Martin propelled himself to the front, surpassing Bagnaia, and led the way to victory, thereby increasing his lead in the championship to 26 points.

In the initial stages of the race, Bagnaia was closely followed by Martin, yet as they reached the finish line, there was a 1.495-second difference separating them.

The Italian expressed his disappointment in his own performance, citing his poor start. He added that his speed being almost identical to Martin's left him with no opportunity to pass, which eventually led to his front tyre overheating.

"I'm upset about how I performed because I had a poor start. I couldn't get off to a good beginning with the clutch, resulting in losing the lead," Bagnaia expressed to TNT Sport.

"We're fully aware of the challenge that comes with trying to pass on this circuit when you're matching the speed of the competitors ahead of you."

"Initially, I was making my initial rounds, but then the front tire overheated and I began to lose control."

"Therefore, overtaking Jorge wasn't a possibility for me. He managed to outpace me this afternoon… actually, it wasn't so much about speed, but he definitely performed better."

"We need to make enhancements for the next day, as we cannot afford to begin like this again."

Bagnaia remarked upon dismounting his Ducati, stating, "On the exits of Turns 6, 8, and 10, I experienced some loss, the bike was sliding quite a bit, and being in the rear, everything shifted.

"When you're solo on the ride, everything runs smoothly, but when you encounter turbulent air, the bike's performance changes."

Following his challenging weekend at Aragon, Bagnaia emphasized the significance of securing a second-place finish, despite losing further ground to Martin in the rankings.

Anticipating the upcoming grand prix, Bagnaia expects it to diverge from the sprint that utilized the medium rear.

Bagnaia demonstrated a remarkable pace during Friday's practice session with this tyre, although he believes some might opt for the soft option.

"Definitely, following the events in Aragon, it was crucial to complete the race – pushing to the limit, yet ensuring we crossed the finish line," he further stated.

"We succeeded. However, tomorrow's challenge will be distinct due to the medium."

"With the medium compound, you're unable to exert as much force as desired, necessitating increased caution during the initial laps."

"I believe certain competitors might opt for the soft tires since they performed well today, except for the final two or three laps. However, choosing them for tomorrow could also be a wise decision."

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