Francesco Bagnaia Poised for Victory at Misano 2 as Ducati Eyes Historic Milestones

Francesco Bagnaia: “We have a head start this time” | Ducati's title prospects

“My health is in a better state than it was for the first Misano race, so we're beginning with a leg up compared to last time.”

Finishing second in both of his home races at 'Misano 1,' Francesco Bagnaia approaches this weekend's MotoGP rematch in better physical shape.

The current world champion had upper body injuries from a collision with Alex Marquez at Aragon, which affected his performance, leading to second-place finishes in the prior San Marino race.

Due to those outcomes and Jorge Martin's expensive pit stop decision, Bagnaia is now just seven points behind the championship leader.

After a two-week hiatus, Bagnaia feels assured that his fitness has enhanced. However, he thinks that the cooler weather and the subsequent test session, in which he clocked the fastest time, might still lead to unexpected changes at the second Misano event.

Bagnaia mentioned that they are returning to race in Misano for the second time this year, but noted that the conditions will be significantly different than they were two weeks ago.

"The weather will be cooler, and we're also following a day dedicated to testing."

“My health has improved since Misano 1, so we’ll have a head start compared to our previous race.”

"The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix marks the beginning of a trio of back-to-back races. As the season gains momentum and the final races draw nearer, it becomes crucial to deliver strong performances at this point in the Championship."

Ducati close to clinching 2024 constructors' championship

Although the battle for the riders' championship remains intense, Ducati is on the brink of securing its fifth straight MotoGP constructors' title, with six races left after this weekend.

Having lost only one grand prix and three Sprint races this year, Ducati currently holds a 229-point advantage over KTM and a 239-point lead over Aprilia. If Ducati maintains a lead of at least 222 points by Sunday, they will be guaranteed the championship.

Both Bagnaia and his team-mate Enea Bastianini aim to secure Ducati's 100th win in MotoGP during the Emilia Romagna race.

Bastianini, who advanced from eighth place on the starting grid to finish third in the San Marino Grand Prix using a soft rear tire, feels assured that he has now found a suitable set-up for the medium rear tire.

"While conducting the post-race test, we discovered a way for me to maintain high speeds using the rear medium tire, something we lacked in Misano 1 to compete for victory," he stated.

"Let's observe what happens this weekend, though I'm feeling optimistic overall."

Bastianini is currently trailing the San Marino victor Marc Marquez by nine points, with Marquez reclaiming third place in the world championship standings.

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