Francesco Bagnaia Reflects on Misano Grand Prix: “Second Place Was the Maximum I Could Achieve But Martin…”

Francesco Bagnaia Reflects on Misano Grand Prix: “Second Place Was the Maximum I Could Achieve But Martin…”

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia expressed mixed emotions following his second-place finish at the Misano Grand Prix, acknowledging that while it wasn’t a victory, it was the best result he could have achieved given the circumstances.

Bagnaia, the reigning MotoGP champion, led the race in its early stages but was ultimately overtaken by Marc Marquez under challenging, changing weather conditions. Opting to stay out on slick tyres rather than switching

bikes, a strategy that differed from his championship rival Jorge Martin’s choice to pit, Bagnaia managed to hold his ground in the slippery conditions. Martin’s decision to change bikes cost him several positions, making Bagnaia’s second-place finish even more significant in the championship context.

Despite his strong performance, Bagnaia admitted that the race was a tough battle. “It doesn’t taste like a victory because it isn’t a victory, but it is still very good,” he said after the race. “I’m a believer! I want to win, but today second place was a huge result in terms of the championship.”

Reflecting on the race, Bagnaia mentioned his disappointment over missing the opportunity to secure a win. “Yesterday I was angry because I had the chance…but I didn’t take it,” he noted, referring to his runner-up result in the Saturday Sprint behind Martin. “But today was the maximum I could do.”

The Italian rider also disclosed the physical toll from his injuries sustained during the previous round in Aragon. “After Aragon, it was a really tough Monday,” he explained. “The pain was starting to be a lot, and my fitness condition wasn’t ideal.” Despite the challenges, Bagnaia praised the efforts of his team and physio for their support, which he credited with helping him to perform well in Misano.

As the race progressed, Bagnaia noticed his gap to Marquez increasing and struggled with concentration as his physical condition affected his performance. “In the final laps, I saw that Enea’s gap went up to more than three seconds and in that moment, I lost some of the concentration,” he said.

Overall, Bagnaia’s second-place finish reduces Martin’s championship lead to just seven points, keeping the title race intensely competitive as the season moves forward.