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**Francesco Bagnaia Retires from Aragon GP After Collision with Álex Márquez: Reflects on Missed Opportunities**

Francesco Bagnaia’s hopes of securing a strong finish at the MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix were dashed six laps from the end when he collided with Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati), forcing him to retire from the race.

The Ducati rider, who had been battling to make up lost ground after a poor start, was unable to complete the race, missing out on valuable points in his championship battle.

A Challenging Start and Missed Opportunity

Bagnaia’s difficulties began before the race even started, as he noticed something troubling when he took his position on the grid. “As soon as I arrived at my place on the

starting grid, I saw it was dirtier than Saturday. They said again that they were cleaning, but maybe they had something better to do,” Bagnaia remarked, clearly frustrated by the track conditions.

The dirt on the track contributed to a poor start, causing Bagnaia to lose valuable time right from the beginning. This setback, he believes, prevented him from being able to challenge his main title rival, Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati), who ultimately finished in second place. “Yeah, because without that bad start I would be fighting with Jorge, but I had this spinning on the start. The podium was an easy target,” Bagnaia lamented.

Struggles and Strategy

Despite the rough start, Bagnaia remained determined to fight his way back into contention for a podium finish. However, he found himself battling with Franky Morbidelli early on, which further complicated his race.

“I was struggling a lot at the start of the race with Franky because I was managing a lot of the tyres because I wanted to arrive at the end with a good potential. He didn’t care that much about tyre consumption, so it was difficult to get close to him in the braking zone,” Bagnaia explained.

As the race progressed, Bagnaia’s strategy began to pay off. After Morbidelli encountered issues, Bagnaia quickly overtook him and set his sights on Álex Márquez. “I got him in two laps and I overtook him easily. And then the same thing about Álex; I was gaining 0.5 seconds every lap,” Bagnaia recalled.

The Collision and Retirement

Bagnaia’s charge through the field, however, came to a sudden halt when he collided with Márquez while vying for third place.

Although Bagnaia had been closing in steadily, he speculated that Márquez may have pushed his bike too hard, leading to the crash. “He pushed again, but I think in that two laps he finished everything, so it was a matter of time,” Bagnaia commented on Márquez’s pace before the incident.

Unfortunately, the collision not only ended Bagnaia’s race but also dealt a blow to his championship aspirations. The retirement left him without points on a day when he could have closed the gap on Martín.

Looking Ahead

As Bagnaia reflects on what might have been, he knows that the fight for the championship is far from over. With several races still to come, the Ducati rider will need to regroup and focus on maximizing his performance in the remaining rounds if he hopes to reclaim his position at the top of the standings.

For now, the Aragon GP serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of racing, where even the best-laid plans can be derailed by circumstances beyond a rider’s control.