Moto GP
Francesco Bagnaia Fumes Over Misano Sprint Defeat as Jorge Martin Extends Championship Lead
Francesco Bagnaia, feeling "angry," detailed how he was defeated by the "better" Jorge Martin in the Misano MotoGP sprint, admitting, "I had no opportunity to pass."
Francesco Bagnaia expressed his frustration, attributing his loss to Jorge Martin in the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix sprint to a subpar start caused by his Ducati's clutch issues and an overheated front tire.
On Friday at Misano, Bagnaia led the practice sessions, and by Saturday morning, he secured pole position by setting a new lap record. Meanwhile, Martin, who leads the championship, faced challenges and ended up qualifying in
At the beginning of the 13-lap sprint, Martin surged ahead of Bagnaia to take the lead and maintained his position all the way to the finish line, increasing his championship lead to 26 points.
Bagnaia stayed near Martin during the initial half of the sprint, but by the time they reached the finish line, a 1.495-second difference separated them.
The Italian rider expressed his frustration, admitting that he botched his start. Since his speed closely matched Martin's, he struggled to find an opportunity to pass and ended up overheating his front tire.
"I'm upset about how I performed. I had a poor start because I couldn't get the clutch right and ended up losing first place," Bagnaia mentioned to TNT Sport.
"We are fully aware of how challenging it is to overtake on this track when you are running at the same speed as the drivers ahead."
"I began my initial laps, but the front tire overheated, causing me to lose control."
"Therefore, I had no opportunity to pass Jorge. This afternoon, he wasn't necessarily quicker, but he certainly performed better."
"We need to get better by tomorrow because we can't afford another poor start like this."
After dismounting his Ducati, Bagnaia remarked, "I was losing some ground on the exits of Turns 6, 8, and 10. The bike was sliding a lot, which put me behind and altered everything."
"When you ride solo, everything feels flawless, but the bike reacts differently when there's turbulence."
Following a challenging weekend in Aragon, Bagnaia emphasized that securing a second-place finish was “important” despite losing further points to Martin in the overall rankings.
Anticipating the upcoming grand prix, Bagnaia expects the race to differ from the sprint due to the use of medium rear tires.
During Friday's practice sessions, Bagnaia showcased remarkable speed using this particular tire, although he anticipates that some riders might opt for the softer compound.
“Absolutely, after what occurred in Aragon, it was crucial to complete the race – giving our all, but making sure to finish,” he stated.
"We accomplished it. However, tomorrow's race will be different with the medium tires."
"You need to exercise caution during the initial laps and can't drive as aggressively with the medium tires."
"I believe some riders might opt for the soft tires, as they performed well today except for the last two or three laps. However, I still think they'll be a solid option for tomorrow as well."
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