Francesco Bagnaia’s Sprint Race Struggles: Prepares for a Different Strategy on Sunday

Francesco Bagnaia’s Sprint Race Struggles: Prepares for a Different Strategy on Sunday

Francesco Bagnaia faced a challenging Sprint race at the MotoGP San Marino GP, where he could not surpass Jorge Martín despite starting from pole position.

Martín’s explosive start left Bagnaia trailing, and the Ducati rider found himself unable to make the crucial pass despite a strong pursuit throughout the 13-lap race.

Bagnaia’s efforts to close the gap to Martín were hampered by the similar pace of both riders and the necessity of

tire management. The inability to secure a faster lap or make a decisive move left Bagnaia settling for second place, unable to capitalize on his pole position.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s main race, Bagnaia is optimistic about a different outcome. “It will be different,” Bagnaia said, anticipating the conditions and race strategy.

He indicated that a switch to the medium rear tire could provide a more stable performance compared to the soft tire used in the Sprint race, which, despite its constant pace, showed signs of instability over longer distances.

“The soft is very good, very constant, but it has a lot of shakes. For the race distance, it can be worse than the medium, which is more stable,” Bagnaia explained. He believes that the medium tire might offer better opportunities for overtaking, as it provides more margin for managing race conditions.

Bagnaia’s confidence in his revised tire strategy reflects his belief in his ability to adapt and overcome the challenges faced in the Sprint race. With the added advantage of starting from pole position again on Sunday, he remains hopeful of reclaiming the top spot and turning the tables on Martín.

As the riders prepare for the main event, all eyes will be on Bagnaia to see if his strategic adjustments and tire choice can help him regain the lead and achieve a victory at the San Marino GP.