Francesco Bagnaia: “I was quite scared when I saw Morbidelli crash, But I didn’t want to take any risk and even more when Jorge entered the pits but i…”

 

At the 2024 San Marino Grand Prix, factory Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini demonstrated that their deep understanding of the Misano circuit played a crucial role in their race strategy.

Both riders, who frequently train at the Misano track, used their finely-tuned senses to make a key decision about their tire choices amid unpredictable weather conditions.

The race weekend began with forecasts predicting possible heavy rain, but as the grand prix approached, conditions were primarily dry. Spots of rain were observed leading up to the race, creating a tense atmosphere regarding the weather’s impact on race strategy.

The race was initially declared dry, but a significant rain shower on lap seven led to a flag-to-flag scenario, where riders had to choose between dry and wet bikes.

Six riders, including championship leader Jorge Martin, opted for wet tires early in the rain shower. However, the rain proved brief, and their decision quickly backfired as the track dried out. Marc Marquez capitalized on the situation, taking the win, while Bagnaia and Bastianini, who chose to stay out on dry tires, completed the podium.

Bagnaia and Bastianini’s local knowledge and instincts were pivotal in their successful strategies. Bagnaia described how his familiarity with the track’s weather patterns influenced his decision. “The one that we had on Thursday,” he said, referring to the distinct smell of the Misano circuit when it’s wet. “On Thursday it was raining in the paddock and the smell was heavy. It was not smelling like this today.”

Bastianini concurred, noting that the absence of the characteristic wet smell and the relatively clear skies led him to believe the rain would be light. “I thought to remain on track because here when it starts to rain and it rains a lot, the track smells a bit of water. And today [it didn’t].” His choice to stay out on dry tires was vindicated by the race’s outcome.

Marquez, who was in the lead group when Martin pitted for wet tires, chose to stay out, trusting the local riders’ instincts. He acknowledged the value of local knowledge in his decision-making process.

“I followed the local guys as they know better than me,” Marquez said. He noted that Martin’s decision was not “very crazy” but was ultimately the wrong call as the rain was not sustained.

The race highlighted how local expertise and experience with specific conditions can dramatically influence race strategy.

While Marquez’s decision to follow the local riders’ approach proved successful, the misjudgment of the riders who switched to wet tires underscored the unpredictable nature of racing and the critical importance of reading and reacting to real-time conditions.

In the end, the Misano Grand Prix served as a testament to the intricate interplay of weather, strategy, and local knowledge in MotoGP, with Bagnaia and Bastianini’s local acumen proving to be a decisive factor in their podium finishes.