Francesco Bagnaia has revealed the “scientific” cause for his long-held struggles in dash races in comparison with his huge success in full-distance MotoGP grands prix.
The two-time world champion commented after finishing third in the 2025 season-opening Thailand sprint contest, the place he needed to fend off Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura for 13 laps.
Bagnaia defined that the smaller gasoline tank mandated for dash occasions adjustments the “dynamics” of his Ducati, inflicting him to battle extra in braking and nook entry.
So the Italian has at all times discovered dash races powerful as, though final yr he and eventual champion Jorge Martin each gained seven instances on a Saturday, errors by Bagnaia within the half-distance occasions value him the 2024 title.
“There’s a scientific cause why I am struggling within the dash,” Bagnaia mentioned. “We have been attempting to grasp it and actually the one factor that they modified from the lengthy races is the gasoline tank – it’s smaller by regulation.
“It adjustments the dynamics of the bike a bit and I am struggling extra in braking and entrance. However we’re engaged on it, we try to unravel it.
“Immediately we’re simply doing it in the usual means however subsequent time we are going to attempt one thing completely different.”
Marc Marquez, Ducati Crew, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Crew, Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Bagnaia revealed that he acquired optimistic outcomes when he accomplished a dash simulation with a bigger gasoline tank.
“I did it and I used to be quicker and it is one thing you can’t do for the regulation,” he added. “We try one thing completely different, like set-up and various things on the bike.
“It is a lengthy journey to enhance this as a result of already two seasons [and] the issue is kind of the identical.”
He additionally added that the issue with the sprint-spec gasoline tank is exacerbated when he’s operating immediately behind different riders, versus in clear air.
“Once I’m beginning within the entrance this downside is much less as a result of with out the slipstream, with out anybody within the entrance, I can power within the braking, but when somebody is in entrance of me, I can be [stuck] for 10 laps or 15 laps with one second of hole and I can’t shut again,” Bagnaia defined.
“It is fairly an issue, we try to unravel it.”
Photographs from Thailand GP – Saturday
On this article
Rachit Thukral
MotoGP
Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati Crew
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