Suzi Perry saw Francesco Bagnaia do something no rider would after his Australian Grand Prix crash

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Suzi Perry saw Francesco Bagnaia do something that summed up how bleak his 2025 MotoGP season has been after crashing out of the Australian Grand Prix this Sunday.

The 28-year-old failed to finish a Grand Prix for the fourth time this term, plus the third time in just the past four rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season, after a race-ending crash on Lap 23 of 27. Bagnaia lost the front end of his Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on the approach to Siberia.

Bagnaia was only running in P12 when he crashed at Turn 6, as well, having laboured toward the rear of the field throughout Sunday’s Australian GP. The two-time champion faceplanted while alone on the track after his bike kicked back when the rear stepped out under braking.

Failing to finish on a day when Trackhouse star Raul Fernandez won the Australian GP for his first MotoGP race victory also helped to see Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi jump Bagnaia for third place in the riders’ standings. Bezzecchi came P3 to move to 282 points over Bagnaia’s 274.

Francesco Bagnaia stunned Suzi Perry by giving fans his Australian GP race boots after crashing

Bagnaia’s Motegi Sprint and Japanese Grand Prix wins during round 17 of this year’s 22 only in September mark the Ducati rider’s sole points across the past four rounds. Yet despite his latest woe at Phillip Island, Bagnaia took the time to greet fans after Sunday’s Australian GP.

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

Suzi Perry was stunned when she saw Bagnaia walk to the pit wall to give fans his race boots after the Australian GP. The renowned TV presenter would not expect another rider to make the gesture, which saw fans chant ‘Pecco, Pecco, Pecco’ as he walked away blowing kisses.

“Just a minute ago, Pecco Bagnaia came out of his garage,” Perry revealed on TNT Sports 2 (19/10, 06:25). “I don’t know any other rider who would do this in the situation that he’s in. He came out to greet the fans, threw his boots out to them and it was really sweet.”

Perry added (06:57): “It makes your heart ache, because we just don’t know what’s going on with that bike. I was so overwhelmed, actually, when he walked out the garage and went to the fans. I don’t know another rider who would do that. Most would be in the back, crying.”

Marco Bezzecchi overtakes Pecco Bagnaia for third place in the 2025 MotoGP riders’ standings

But while Bagnaia’s gesture after the Australian GP left Perry emotional, it even summed up “how unlucky” the Ducati rider is as he initially failed to throw his race boots over the fence. Bagnaia has struggled with Ducati’s bike all season and is now fourth in the riders’ standings.

“He threw his boot, and it didn’t make it over the fence,” Perry added. “That’s how unlucky he is at the moment.”

To which, Neil Hodgson pointed out that the fence along Phillip Island’s pit wall “is not high at all”. So, Perry added: “I could have got it over there. He threw it, and I thought, ‘That just sums up your year’.”

Bagnaia only managed P19 in the Phillip Island Sprint Race this Saturday, as he even finished 32.408 seconds from Bezzecchi as the Aprilia rider won. If it were not for Bezzecchi’s double long lap penalty in the Australian GP, the 26-year-old might have also won the Australian GP.