The Bagnaia era of MotoGP
For about a year, the MotoGP has found its clear ruler, that is Francis Bagnaia. The Piedmontese Ducati rider won 9 of the last 18 races, finishing on the podium on 4 other occasions. No one manages to keep up with the VR46 Academy champion, neither among the other Ducatisti nor among the opponents, and the 2023 standings are certifying this superiority without a shadow of contradiction.
After just eight world championship appointments, Bagnaia is leading the world championship with 35 points ahead of Jorge Martin and 36 on Marco Bezzecchi, despite the crashes suffered in the GPs of Argentina, Austin and Le Mans. But even just considering the Sunday races and not the Sprints, ‘Pecco’ would still be ahead of everyone, having added 120 points against Bezzecchi’s 117.
What does Bagnaia think of Sprint?
With the new format introduced in 2023, MotoGP riders are facing for the first time in their careers a weekend consisting of two races, the fast one on Saturday and the traditional one on Sunday. Bagnaia seems to be the one who is best adapted to Sprintsince he conquered three successes, two seconds and a third place.
In an interview granted to the Swiss of Speedweek has explained: “It’s very different from what we were used to. If you start feeling well from Friday, you can have a good weekend. But if you start with doubts, you have little time to improve. For example, in Jerez we finished the set-up work in the Warm Up. The format is not simple, and Saturdays are very busy because there are so many things to do. It’s not a bad format, but I would like to have more time to work on the race. I’d give it an 8 as a rating, though I prefer the Sunday race, because in the Sprint you always go to the max and you can’t control anything“. Closing on the evaluation that Bagnaia gives himself as a driver: “I see myself as someone who knows how to overtake when he has to. The wet track is my weakness and I have to work on italbeit last year I have improved considerably in this respect. It was difficult at the beginning, but I finished third in Thailand and in Argentina I crashed when I was second, but I improved a lot”.
#MotoGP #Bagnaia #reveals #weakness #Wet #races