Marco Bezzecchi
The weather has threatened to scupper MotoGP’s return to Brazil this weekend, and Francesco Bagnaia has asserted that riders will be facing ‘big problems’ if heavy rainfall hits the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania.
While Diogo Moreira was gearing up for his first home Grand Prix in the premier class, the weather had other ideas. Extreme levels of rainfall hit Goiania during the week, submerging parts of the circuit in water just days away from the Brazilian Grand Prix race weekend.
How do you feel about Brazil returning to the MotoGP calendar after 22 years?
An anonymous MotoGP team boss has shared his worries over the proceedings that are set to take place this weekend, following the flash floods that hit the area. There remains a high risk of rainfall that still threatens to derail the first Grand Prix motorcycle racing event in Brazil since 2004.
Pedro Acosta has no doubts about the grip levels that riders will be experiencing after the week of heavy rainfall, but Francesco Bagnaia has identified that it means nothing if it does, in fact, begin to rain during one of the meaningful sessions over the weekend.
Francesco Bagnaia predicts MotoGP riders to face ‘big problems’ if it rains during the Brazilian Grand Prix
During his media duties on Thursday afternoon in Brazil, Bagnaia was asked for his thoughts on arriving at a circuit that he has no prior experience with. The Italian highlighted his excitement for the new piece of tarmac, as well as expressing his concern over the weather forecast.
He told journalists via GPOne, “I did a few laps yesterday and on Tuesday, and the track looks really good: technical, narrow, but also fast in certain places.
“I like it – that’s my first impression – but thirty-one laps is a lot; we’ll have to get into that mindset. I just hope it doesn’t rain because, if it does, we’ll have big problems in the first and last sectors.”
What’s your podium prediction for the Brazilian Grand Prix?
The final sector happens to be in close vicinity of the MotoGP paddock’s access tunnel, which was portrayed to be submerged in water by images that circulated on social media during the lead-up to the race weekend.
There has been some concern over the legitimacy of the images, but circuit officials have since confirmed that parts of the race track were indeed covered in a vast amount of water.
If a similar calibre of rainfall hits the circuit ahead of any of the sessions this weekend, disruption is likely.
- READ MORE: Everything to know about MotoGP’s wet-weather race procedure as rain threatens Brazilian Grand Prix
Francesco Bagnaia is also wary of Ducati experiencing a tyre issue that plagued their season-opener
Bagnaia was also asked about the tyre allocation for the upcoming Grand Prix in Goiania. Michelin have confirmed that the same compounds that were used in Thailand will be utilised in Brazil this weekend, casting doubt over Ducati’s resurgence.
Asked whether it worries him, the #63 replied, “I’m not sure; it seems to be very hot here, but that’s not usually a problem for me.
“Ducati has worked hard to understand what happened with rear tyre wear in the last GP because we struggled a lot in that regard.
“This track is new to everyone; the tarmac looks fantastic, just a bit dirty, so maybe we won’t have that problem again.”
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
