If the sprint did not exist, Francesco Bagnaia would be leading the MotoGP championship with 24 points ahead of Jorge Martin. Instead, with one event remaining, it is the Spaniard who is ahead of the Italian by the same gap.
On Saturday, in Malaysia, Bagnaia recorded his fifth blank result on a Saturday afternoon. A fall at turn 9 while leading the hunt for the Ducati Pramac team rider. “What happened to me pretty much sums up what this season has been like for me,” explained the double MotoGP world champion afterwards. I lost too many points in the sprint. After only six races, I had already dropped 25 to Jorge. We will have to work on this for next season. I don't know why I can't properly exploit my potential on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, I am able to attack, to overtake, to be aggressive… Unfortunately, in the sprint, Jorge is much stronger than me. »
Bagnaia wins the Grand Prix
As he had already done this year in Jerez and Barcelona, Bagnaia redeemed himself on Sunday afternoon by claiming his tenth victory. He thus joins Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Marc Marquez in the very closed circle of winners of at least ten Grands Prix in the same season.
The double MotoGP world champion achieved this success with the strength of his wrist. The first three laps were a fierce battle between him and Martin. Despite his blunder the day before, Bagnaia ended up taking the advantage. “You had to start from the front to win,” he explained. I knew that by staying behind, I risked finding myself in difficulty with the pressure in my front tire, especially since it was much warmer today than yesterday. What makes me complain is that I went through turn 9 again on the bump that made me fall yesterday, and this time I stayed on my wheels. I was just more incisive and less swaying. »
Final in Barcelona
Since the start of the season, Bagnaia has only fallen eight times while Martin has had fifteen falls. “The difference is that for Pecco, seven of his falls took place during the race, on Saturday or Sunday,” notes Davide Tardozzi, the Ducati team manager. Jorge fell twice more, but only three times in the race. » So even though he has won seven more Grands Prix than his opponent, the double world champion remains behind.
By winning this Sunday, however, he saved the first match point played by his opponent. The Valencia Grand Prix scheduled in two weeks having been canceled following the tragedy currently affecting the region, the championship final will take place in Barcelona. A circuit where the two rivals are efficient and which is also full of traps. Nothing is decided, even if Martin has his destiny in hand.
