Legacy of Aragon tangle hangs over Bagnaia after Australian GP

 

Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP title aspirations have taken a significant hit following a challenging Australian Grand Prix, where he finished a distant third.

The reigning double world champion lamented the impact of a previous collision with Alex Marquez at the Aragon Grand Prix, which he believes is now weighing heavily on his championship hopes. Bagnaia’s title deficit has grown to 20 points after Jorge Martin’s strong performance in Australia.

After a promising double victory in Japan, which narrowed Martin’s lead to just 10 points, Bagnaia’s momentum stalled at Phillip Island. Despite finding a better setup for the race, he struggled to match the pace of both Martin and Marc Marquez. The Italian’s comments highlight a sense of frustration as he battles with consistency and competitive performance.

“I think it’s like it was in Indonesia,” Bagnaia reflected. “We are continuing recovering, losing, recovering, losing. Our performance is fairly balanced.” He noted that the collision with Marquez in September, which cost him a potential 16 points, looms large over his title challenge.

During the race, Bagnaia managed to lead briefly after Martin made a mistake on lap 12. However, he quickly lost ground and found himself struggling as the race progressed.

“As soon as I finished the front tyre, I was struggling to follow them,” he said. This inability to maintain pace forced him to slow down, widening the gap between himself and the leaders.

Despite the setbacks, Bagnaia remains optimistic about future races, expressing confidence in his ability to perform well on tracks where he has historically excelled. “We have to be focused and move onto the next ones with a good confidence knowing that they are tracks where I am very fast,” he said.

His analysis of the bike’s handling reveals ongoing challenges, particularly with turning, where he felt he had to “force a lot the front to let me turn the bike.” The adjustment made ahead of the race was crucial, allowing him to avoid finishing outside the podium spots. However, the gap to his competitors remains a concern, emphasizing the need for continual improvement.

As the championship battle intensifies, Bagnaia’s reflections serve as a reminder of the fine margins that separate success from disappointment in MotoGP. With several races still to come, the fight for the title remains open, but Bagnaia will need to leverage his experience and resilience to regain lost ground.