Francesco Bagnaia Details Painful ‘Disaster’ Finish at San Marino MotoGP as Injuries Take Toll

Francesco Bagnaia describes the "disaster" at the end of the race as "pain" became unbearable

MotoGP titleholder discusses the excruciating finish at the San Marino MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia from Ducati described the closing laps of the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix as a "disaster," attributing it to a loss of focus and an increase in pain from his injuries.

The current world champion experienced slight injuries to his shoulder and back due to a collision with Alex Marquez at the Aragon Grand Prix, leading him to compete while on pain medication at Misano.

Bagnaia secured the pole position, came in second place in the sprint race, and initially led the main event before ultimately ending up as the runner-up to Marc Marquez in challenging weather conditions.

Throughout most of the race, Bagnaia maintained a comfortable distance from Marquez, but in the closing laps, he fell back significantly and finished 3.1 seconds behind by the time they crossed the finish line.

Subsequently, he clarified that when he chose to stop competing for the victory, his focus shifted excessively to the discomfort caused by his injuries.

Bagnaia stated, "I aimed to clinch victory in the race. Had it not been for the rain, my chances of winning were high because my speed was excellent. Jorge Martin, who was behind me, would have struggled to pass me just as I did during the sprint."

"However, the moment it began to rain, I observed him step into the shelter, and my perspective shifted entirely."

"I thought to myself, 'Alright, I don't need to risk crashing since he won't score any points.' Then Marc showed up, being the boldest when it came to riding aggressively in the rain."

"The moment he passed me, I attempted to pass him again, but I didn’t get the opportunity."

"When I chose to settle for second place with just four or five laps remaining, my focus on maintaining top speed wavered, and I became more aware of the discomfort I was feeling."

"It was chaotic; it felt as though the pain relief suddenly stopped working all at once. It was truly a catastrophe."

Entering Sunday’s grand prix with a 26-point deficit to Martin, the Spanish rider’s tactical mistake has reduced Bagnaia’s gap to just seven points in the championship standings.

Bagnaia doesn't view this outcome as a victory, especially considering his difficulties in Aragon, but he admits that it still "feels satisfying."

"Given the events of last week and the fact that I couldn't accomplish much on Monday, yes, I would have agreed to this championship outcome before the weekend," he responded when questioned.

"My discomfort was quite intense and challenging. However, my team and I put in a significant amount of effort, as we always do, and I must commend my physiotherapist for their exceptional work once again."

"My coach Carlo feels the same way. I'm really proud of our achievements. Although it wasn't as severe as last year, I believe that experiencing pain in the arms and shoulders is more challenging than in the legs."

"Using your arms can help you manage your legs better. However, you can't achieve the same speed with your legs as you can with your arms, which made riding a bit more challenging."

"I managed to ride the way I intended, though the final stretch was painful. It doesn't feel like a win since it's not one, but it still feels satisfying."

"Yesterday, I felt frustration because I missed an opportunity to secure a victory. Today, I gave my all but still came up short. Beyond that, it was challenging."

Ailing Bastianini Battles to Podium Finish

Enea Bastianini, who rides for the Ducati team alongside Bagnaia, advanced from an eighth-place start to secure third position, at one point challenging the frontrunners with his speed.

Bastianini was among a number of racers who fell ill at Misano and began the grand prix feeling unwell.

Choosing the soft rear tire while the front-runners opted for the medium, Bastianini initially showed strong speed but acknowledged he had difficulties towards the end as the tire wore out.

He started by saying, "Considering I wasn't feeling well this morning, I'm pleased to have made it to the podium."

"I began the race without much thought. It got tricky after a few laps when it started to drizzle, and I attempted to catch up to Pecco since he had gained some lead over me."

"In the end, I came very close. However, when the group behind me caught up, it became difficult to secure the win, especially since I had soft tires on the rear. The start went well, but I faced some challenges towards the finish."

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