The reigning world champion slid out of the Americas Grand Prix two weeks in the past whereas main, marking the fourth time he has performed this since 2020.
Crashing twice in three grands prix in 2023, Bagnaia in Austin blamed his falls on the brand new Ducati being too secure, which meant it was tougher to really feel the entrance finish.
On the eve of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Bagnaia considerably backtracked on these feedback, noting that he has to “be smarter” in race conditions.
Nonetheless, he rejected ideas that he’s extra inclined to crashes whereas main due to the added strain.
“What number of races did I win whereas I used to be main?,” he started.
“So, I feel this query doesn’t have an accurate reply. My regular win is I lead and I push to manage the hole.
“That is my technique to win. Possibly I’ve to begin engaged on a special technique to win. Possibly it was higher to let Alex [Rins] move [me in Austin] and see what occurred.
“However my kind of win is that one [to lead from the start], I at all times gained from Moto2 like this, I by no means had an absence of focus, by no means had an absence of efficiency.
“So, I used to be by no means feeling the strain to push an excessive amount of. I used to be simply contemplating that the tempo was robust, nevertheless it was potential to stay on it and it’s kind of the identical scenario. I don’t assume it’s a matter of crashing as a result of I’m main.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Requested about altering his method after analysing the information from his Austin crash, Bagnaia added: “We’re excited about it. Now we have tried to work on one thing that we don’t have, like within the race, as a result of I crashed.
“I realized that the potential of our bike needs to be the identical, it has to stay as is. It’s extra I’ve to study the scenario, as a result of after I [I crashed] I spoke with my workforce, I spoke additionally at residence with my individuals, and sincerely it’s tougher going two tenths slower by your self than going two tenths slower due to your bike.
“However, it’s higher [the former] proper now as a result of if I perceive the scenario like I did in Portimao, or within the [Austin] dash race, you’ve gotten a bonus.
“So, it’s higher to comply with like this and attempt to be smarter in some conditions.”
Having surrendered 45 factors in two grands prix, Bagnaia trails VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi by 11 factors within the championship coming to this weekend’s occasion at Jerez.
