Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia finds it “strange” that he was “struggling to be fast” in the United States Grand Prix as the Ducati GP26 was not kind on the rear Michelin tyre at COTA.
The 29-year-old showed the most promise that he has so far this term in the Sprint Race last Saturday. Bagnaia led from the first corner in the Sprint, but he was overtaken by Aprilia star Jorge Martin on the final lap after taking the soft rear Michelin tyre rather than the medium.
Martin won the COTA Sprint ahead of Bagnaia simply because the medium rear tyre put him in a commanding position over the Italian on the last lap. But Bagnaia could not carry any of his momentum into Sunday’s United States GP, as he produced a disappointing race for P10.
Bagnaia’s United States GP particularly fell apart from the midway stage, as even his Ducati teammate Marc Marquez overcame his long lap penalty to finish in P5 with a 6.444s margin between them. The two-time champion had even run as high as P5 with only three laps left.
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Francesco Bagnaia says he ‘just tried to get to the end’ due to his tyre wear at COTA
Bagnaia believes his problems in the United States GP were down to the rear Michelin tyre, as he simply “tried to get to the end” after destroying the medium rubber within only eight of the 20 laps. He also feels his extreme tyre wear was due to his GP26, rather than himself.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Despite being the worst of the four riders using the Ducati GP26 this year during the United States GP, Bagnaia believes the Bologna Bullets have to understand why their once-superior tyre management was an issue. But he does see progress compared to the previous rounds.
Bagnaia said, via quotes by Motosprint: “In the Sprint, the tyre could have collapsed. But in the race, it should not happen that way. I also managed my riding to preserve the rear tyre.
“But in the end, it was eating away on the right side, without ever pushing. We still have a lot to understand. One strange thing is tyre management.
“The Ducati riders have always been good, and the bike has always been very smooth on the rear, allowing us to be consistent and preserve it. We’re working hard, and I think we’re making progress. We were faster than in Brazil, and we’re improving.
“Today, I struggled. I was struggling to be fast. In the race, from the first lap, I was not fast. I tried to slow down and be more consistent. But by lap eight, the tyre was almost gone, and I just tried to get to the end, without being able to lean the bike to the right.”
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VR46 pilot Fabio Di Giannantonio was the lead Ducati rider as Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi won the United States GP, albeit 6.972s off the lead and 2.475s away from KTM’s Pedro Acosta in the final podium position. Marquez was the second-best Ducati, despite serving his penalty.
The only Ducati riders to finish behind Bagnaia were also those on the GP25, in Gresini racer Fermin Aldeguer in P11 and VR46’s Franco Morbidelli in P14. Gresini’s Alex Marquez aboard his GP26 finished P7 after overtaking Bagnaia during the factory rider’s late-race regression.
Sunday’s race was also not the first time that Bagnaia has highlighted the rear tyre as one of the reasons why he has struggled so far this season. Just one week before the United States GP, Bagnaia said in Brazil that he is finding rear grip “very” inconsistent but only in the races.
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