Francesco Bagnaia raises Neil Hodgson suspicion with Ducati claim at Americas Grand Prix, ‘I don’t believe him…’

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Francesco Bagnaia has suffered another early blow to his title hopes at the Americas Grand Prix after Ducati teammate Marc Marquez won the Sprint from pole position.

It has been total domination from Marquez since the 32-year-old stepped up from Gresini to partner with Bagnaia at the factory Ducati team this season. The six-time MotoGP champion has now secured pole position and won the Sprint at all three Grands Prix to begin the term.

Marquez even made history with pole position for the Americas GP as the first MotoGP rider to ever secure pole eight times at one circuit. He will hope to turn it into an eighth COTA win this Sunday, too, to put more distance between himself and Bagnaia in the riders’ standings.

Neil Hodgson states ‘I don’t believe’ Francesco Bagnaia is happy on his Ducati GP25

After winning the Americas GP Sprint this Saturday, Marquez leads the riders’ championship with 86 points ahead of his brother Alex Marquez on 67 and Bagnaia with 50. The same trio also finished Saturday’s Sprint in that order, mirroring the Sprints in Thailand and Argentina.

Bagnaia fell off the podium for the only time so far this term in the Argentina Grand Prix as Franco Morbidelli instead joined the Marquez brothers. The 28-year-old has not seemed at one with his Ducati Desmosedici GP25 in the opening races compared to Marquez, as well.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

So, after Bagnaia also could only qualify in P6 for the Americas GP as Marquez secured pole, Hodgson called into question the two-time champion’s claims that he has feels better on his GP25. Bagnaia was 0.523s slower than Marquez in Q2 and fifth among the six Ducati bikes.

“I don’t believe him with what I’ve seen,” Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2 (29/3, 20:02). “Why would he lie? Well, I’ve no idea. Maybe he’s trying to talk himself into it. He’s pretty much been the slowest Ducati all weekend.”

Pecco Bagnaia rescued his Americas GP Sprint at the start after a disastrous qualifying

Hodgson has reason to question Bagnaia’s claims that he feels better on the GP25 given the Ducati rider has continued to struggle at the Americas GP and watched Marquez get further ahead in the championship. He especially still has a lot to work on regarding single-lap pace.

After Franco Morbidelli saw Bagnaia was ‘angry’ after Thailand and Argentina, his mood will not have improved having M Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio, A Marquez and Morbidelli all out-qualify him. The only Ducati bike behind on the grid was rookie Fermin Aldeguer in P12.

Bagnaia’s start would ultimately rescue him a podium finish in the Americas GP Sprint as he shot straight into a fight for the lead into Turn 1. A brief scrap with the Marquez brothers to lead at COTA followed but the Italian quickly fell away after failing to maintain his challenge.

Another P3 will not satisfy the Turin native or Ducati, as well, with team boss Luigi Dall’Igna adamant Bagnaia ‘must not’ aim for third-place finishes – the best result he has scored this season in any race. He could soon see that race wins will be all that Bagnaia can target, too.