Bagnaia; ‘My best Friday ever in Valencia’, current form is ‘another world’

Winner last time out in Portimao, Francesco Bagnaia finished day-one of the Valencia MotoGP third quickest. 

Despite suffering an early FP1 crash in wet conditions at the Ricardo Tormo circuit - a track that’s proven to be somewhat of a disaster for the Italian previously, the Ducati rider continued his impressive form of late to once again show why he’s a pre-race favorite. 

While it was his team-mate Jack Miller who ended up fastest in the afternoon, Bagnaia’s race pace was staggeringly fast in all conditions, something that bodes well for the Italian given Valencia's unpredictable weather this time of year. 

"I’m happy because I think it is my best Friday ever in Valencia. I enjoyed a lot today," said Bagnaia. 

"This morning with wet conditions I was feeling great and this afternoon also, like the last races. 

"We managed to try different things. We know the way to work for the next days. I’m very happy."

Bagnaia was one of many riders to point out the different tyre allocation for this weekend as the hard front tyre seems to lean itself more towards a softer (medium) compound. 

Bagnaia, who tried both the medium and hard front tyre believes tomorrow’s sessions will be the deciding factor for which direction he opts to go in. 

But while getting the tyre choice correct for Sunday will be crucial, Bagnaia stated he feels his form is ‘another world’ compared to last year’s double visit. 

Bagnaia added: "Yeah, normally this track we have a different allocation. The Hard here is like a softer medium in other circuits. 

"The soft here is normally for when it is very, very cold and this weekend looks like it won’t be cold. I tried the medium it was OK. 

"I don’t know, we have to see the conditions tomorrow. We can understand better tomorrow when the track has our laps on it. 

"I started well with the feeling and the grip. It is another world (current form) but not the first time I am better and stronger. 

"Maybe it is because I am already feeling better and feeling stronger! and that’s why I’m like this for the first time."

Bagnaia is yet to claim a podium in any of the three Grand Prix classes at Valencia, but given his exceptional form of late, it would be a shock not to see him improve on his current premier class best of 11th which came in the second of those two 2020 Valencian races.