Francesco Bagnaia faced a severe lack of rear grip and unpredictable bike behavior during the Misano weekend, finishing 13th in the sprint race and describing his current form as humiliating. The Ducati Lenovo rider reported that his factory machine behaved completely differently from other Ducati riders, leaving the rider without answers.
Misano Struggles and Qualifying Setbacks for Bagnaia
Entering a weekend at a circuit close to his Tavullia home usually provides a boost for Bagnaia. Instead, the Misano event delivered a steep descent down the time sheets. The Italian rider managed only 19th place during Friday practice, missing an automatic spot in Q2. Saturday morning’s Q1 session yielded a 14th-place grid start.
Bagnaia told reporters that switching to a soft rear tire for qualifying yielded the same performance as a heavily worn set. “Apa pun yang saya coba, hasilnya nihil. Sayangnya, saya tidak bisa bicara soal memiliki ‘feel’ dengan motor, karena saya memang tidak merasakannya,” ungkap rider berusia 29 tahun itu.
Anomalous Bike Behavior Compared to Ducati Peers
While Marc Marquez captured victories—winning the Misano sprint in 19:48.519—Bagnaia drifted 17.763 seconds behind the winner. Bagnaia expressed frustration that his motorcycle acted as an anomaly compared to other Ducati riders.
Did you know? Bagnaia pointed out a specific mechanical hurdle during braking: engaging both front and rear brakes simultaneously felt counter-effective, likened by the rider to entering a corner with the clutch.
Aragon Frustrations and Team Dynamics
The technical hurdles mirror earlier turbulence. Reporting from Aragon, Bagnaia admitted to skipping an immediate return to the garage after a punishing Friday practice session because he felt very nervous and frustrated with himself. Rather than risking tension within the team during a difficult developmental phase, the rider paused to collect his composure.
Bagnaia pointed to Alex Marquez’s data as a vital benchmark for the garage, stating a strong desire to replicate the handling traits managed by his fellow Ducati competitors.
Championship Standings After Recent Setbacks
The accumulation of point-less finishes—including five consecutive blanks over the recent stretch of series—has dropped Bagnaia to eighth in the overall rider standings. He currently sits 120 points behind championship leader Jorge Martin.
Despite the steep deficit, Bagnaia vowed to keep pushing forward. “Namun, saya akan terus berupaya semaksimal mungkin untuk menemukan jawaban yang tepat,” he said, emphasizing his debt to the engineering crew working to diagnose the erratic rear spinning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Francesco Bagnaia rank in the championship standings?
Following recent non-scoring finishes, Bagnaia sits eighth in the standings, trailing leader Jorge Martin by 120 points.
What specific mechanical issue has Bagnaia reported with his Ducati?
Bagnaia has suffered from an unpredictable loss of rear grip, unexpected spinning upon initial throttle application, and braking inefficiencies when utilizing both front and rear brakes.
Who won the Misano sprint race?
Marc Marquez won the Misano sprint race with a total time of 19:48.519.
Stay Updated on MotoGP Developments
Drop a comment below with your thoughts on Ducati’s technical troubles, or subscribe to our newsletter for live paddock updates.
Worth a look