Francesco Bagnaia: “Everything under our control was done...”
Francesco Bagnaia hints at external factors behind Thai MotoGP struggles.
Francesco Bagnaia offered a cryptic response when asked what lessons he took from the Thai MotoGP that could make him stronger heading into this weekend’s Argentina round.
Ducati’s double world champion had to settle for third place in both the Buriram Sprint and Grand Prix, finishing behind his new teammate Marc Marquez and younger brother Alex (Gresini).
A video clip later surfaced showing Bagnaia appearing to question his tyre performance while chatting with Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna in parc fermé.
Another clip, broadcast on Thursday, captured Bagnaia telling Dall’Igna, “Now I understand what happened.”
“Everything under our control was done”
Pressed on what he had understood, Bagnaia remained vague but hinted at factors beyond his control:
"Honestly, we had good results considering the situation. Everything that was under our control was done, and the rest was not working well.
"But in any case, we improved during the race weekend and finished on the podium. That wasn’t my objective, but considering the situation, wasn’t that bad.
"And let's see this race weekend.
“It's a track where I need to work more. Tomorrow we'll try to adapt to the situation, because I did two laps walking and the [track] condition is not the best, absolutely.
“But we try to improve. We try to learn from what I did wrong in Thailand and try to be competitive from the first session.”
Speaking separately to Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Bagnaia reiterated that something outside his and the team's control wasn't working well in Thailand.
But the Italian refused to confirm or deny if he meant tyres.
Bagnaia without a podium in Argentina
While Marc Marquez boasts an impressive record at Termas de Río Hondo, including three victories, Bagnaia is yet to claim a podium finish.
"Every time, I’ve made mistakes - either in qualifying or the race. But I enjoy riding here. I like the layout, I think it suits my style and there’s always a first time!"
When asked whether the weekend would again be a battle between him and the Marquez brothers, Bagnaia remained cautious:
"Let’s see. I’m sure they’ll be competitive, as will the other Ducatis, Aprilias, and KTMs. It won’t be an easy weekend for anyone.
"Like Marc said, the track will improve session by session, with peak performance coming during Sunday’s race. We just need to be ready, adapt, and stay competitive."
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
