Francesco Bagnaia controversial statement as he caught in troubles at Phillip Island

Francesco Bagnaia Faces Challenges in Sprint Race at Australian GP

The Sprint race at the Australian Grand Prix proved to be a significant test for Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning MotoGP champion. Finishing in fourth place, Bagnaia found himself 6.879 seconds behind winner Jorge Martín of Prima Pramac Ducati, highlighting the struggles he faced in controlling his Desmosedici GP24 at Phillip Island.

Bagnaia expressed his dissatisfaction with the race outcome, stating, “Honestly, I’m not happy, but today, more than this was impossible.” Despite his efforts to adapt and manage the bike’s performance throughout the day, the conditions ultimately hindered his progress. The modifications made to the bike during practice that had shown promise were rendered ineffective by increasing wind speeds on race day. “The wind increased a lot today, and exiting from the fast corners was the biggest problem,” he explained. “I was feeling a lot that the wind was pushing me out, and I wasn’t having the front well on the ground; I was always losing the front in the fast corners.”

Bagnaia’s challenges were compounded during the Sprint race, as he struggled to find a suitable tire setup. “Already this morning in qualifying, I tried to change the tyre and put the hard to have more stability,

but it wasn’t working at all,” he noted. Despite attempts to adjust his strategy, the changes did not yield the expected improvements, leading him to conclude that the situation was worse than during practice.

However, the 2022 and 2023 champion remained optimistic about the future. He indicated that he and his team had already identified areas for improvement ahead of the main race. “We tried to do the maximum, I tried to close the gap to Jorge, but I took many risks in those two or three laps, so I needed to slow down a bit,” he remarked. “Looking at the data, we’ve already understood and identified what to do for tomorrow’s race. We will try it tomorrow morning, and I think it’s a good thing.”

Despite the less-than-ideal sensations on the track, Bagnaia recognized the necessity to respond effectively, especially given the championship implications. “When you arrive in the first corner, entering at 350km/h or 360km/h, and you start to feel that you are losing the front in turn 3, turn 8… it’s not the best feeling,” he acknowledged. Nevertheless, he emphasized his commitment to improving and closing the gap to Martín, who had shown superior speed throughout the event.

As the competition intensifies, Bagnaia’s ability to adapt and respond to challenges will be critical not only for his performance in the upcoming race but also for his pursuit of the championship title. With lessons learned from the Sprint race, he remains determined to refine his approach and reclaim his position at the front of the pack.