Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia showed so much promise in the early stages of the Italian Grand Prix, just for it all to fall apart as the race developed.
Eventually, normal order was restored as Marc Marquez decided enough was enough after lap nine and held a gap to the bikes behind.
Ducati would have been forgiven for believing that either of their two riders could end up winning the Grand Prix of Italy across the first few laps.
For the first time this year, Bagnaia put up a steely fight and looked in real contention, only for his pace to drop off towards the end.
Neil Hodgson spotted a ‘weird’ Bagnaia decision as he looked like throwing in the towel in the final laps at Mugello, even allowing fellow countryman Fabio Di Giannantonio to pass him.
Ahead of the event, MotoGP fans gave Ducati a ’10/10′ for a special livery change, but unfortunately, it couldn’t spark a better result for their two-time champion.
READ MORE: Jorge Lorenzo urges Ducati star Francesco Bagnaia to ‘accept’ one thing or he’ll stay a ‘weak rider’
Francesco Bagnaia ‘suddenly’ suffered with understeer at the Italian Grand Prix
Bagnaia ‘can’t’ do one thing ‘anymore’, and finds it difficult to push the front end of his bike to its absolute limit.
It has been a bit of a recurring theme all season, and is part of the reason why he now trails Marquez by 110 points in the championship.
Speaking after the race, Bagnaia appeared very downbeat about his hopes and was at a loss to explain some of his woes.
“You’ve all seen the race. There were six laps in which everything was fine, but as soon as the front tire went down, I started making the shrimp and went back. I tried them all,” he said, according to the Italian edition of Motorsport.com.
“I was stronger than Alex, but I couldn’t get close: as always, since the beginning of the year, every time I get to three-tenths I have to go back because the front tire doesn’t hold. It was the script of all time.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t happen again, but even this time, suddenly the understeer and the movements started and there was nothing left to do.”
Marc Marquez conducts ‘PR spin’ after Francesco Bagnaia comments
With 110 points to claw back and only 13 rounds of the MotoGP season to go, Bagnaia needs to overcome Marquez by an average of 9 points (rounded up) to claim the title.
It’s a steep task, and would be one of the most remarkable comebacks of all time. Every race that goes by without winning makes his job that little bit harder.
Marquez had to do some ‘PR spin’ about Bagnaia and mentioned that he doesn’t care how many points the Italian scores, before clarifying that he still sees him as a contender.
If he failed to beat Marquez at one of his own best tracks, and one of the Spaniard’s weakest, then it’s hard to see where he may beat him anywhere else.
For the change required to put him back in the fight, there would have to be a significant change to the GP25, which doesn’t look like it is coming.
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