Francesco Bagnaia: “Frustrated and Angry” After Misano Nightmare
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia, Ducati’s golden boy and reigning MotoGP world champion, endured a race weekend at Misano that will be etched in his memory for all the wrong reasons. The San Marino Grand Prix, traditionally a chance for Italian riders to shine in front of a home crowd, became a nightmare for Bagnaia, who left the circuit frustrated and angry.
Heading into the San Marino GP, Bagnaia was riding high. As a native of Turin, racing at Misano always carries special significance for him. The track, situated on the Adriatic coast, has been a Ducati stronghold, and Bagnaia had a solid record there. Fans anticipated a thrilling battle between him and rivals like Marco Bezzecchi, Jorge Martin, and Maverick Viñales, especially after Bagnaia’s remarkable recovery from a harrowing crash at the Catalan GP the previous week.
Despite the physical toll of the crash, Bagnaia demonstrated remarkable resilience, returning to the saddle just days later. His determination, strength, and skill were supposed to culminate in a triumphant performance at Misano. Unfortunately, that is not how the story unfolded.
The weekend started to unravel during qualifying. While Bagnaia is no stranger to battling through adversity, the problems that emerged during practice carried over into the qualifying sessions. He struggled with grip issues, particularly in the faster corners of the track, where the Ducati’s usual dominance faltered.
Ultimately, Bagnaia only managed to qualify fifth, a less-than-ideal starting position given the circuit’s layout, which tends to favor the rider on pole. His frustration was already palpable, as he knew the challenges that lay ahead in trying to fight for victory from the second row.
In the sprint race, Bagnaia briefly gave fans a glimmer of hope, riding with determination and grit. But it was clear from the outset that something wasn’t clicking. He fought hard to stay with the leaders, including Bezzecchi and Martin, but his Ducati wasn’t delivering the response he needed.
As the race progressed, it became evident that Bagnaia was struggling with rear tire grip, particularly as the track temperature climbed. His attempts to push the bike harder only worsened his performance, causing more tire degradation. He eventually settled for a disappointing fourth place in the sprint, a result that left him fuming.
After the sprint, Bagnaia was candid about his frustrations, telling the press that he “never felt comfortable” on the bike all weekend. His visibly downcast expression revealed the depth of his disappointment, as the hope of claiming valuable points before heading into Sunday’s main event had already begun to slip away.
By the time Sunday’s main race arrived, the pressure on Bagnaia had reached its peak. Misano’s packed grandstands were filled with passionate fans waving Ducati flags and chanting for their hero, but the optimism was quickly dashed.
From the start, Bagnaia was off the pace. While his rivals surged ahead, particularly Bezzecchi, who put on a masterclass performance, Bagnaia found himself embroiled in battles that shouldn’t have been as tough for a rider of his caliber. He was once again plagued by grip issues, particularly when accelerating out of slower corners. He also reported difficulties braking into Misano’s tricky chicanes, further complicating his already challenging day.
As the race unfolded, Bagnaia slipped further down the order. His frustration grew with every passing lap. At one point, he was seen shaking his head as he struggled to maintain a competitive pace. The heartbreak of letting his home crowd down was evident. It became clear that even a podium finish, something he had initially hoped for, was now out of reach.
Bagnaia finished in a dismal sixth place, far from the front and worlds away from the victory he and his fans had dreamed of. After the race, the normally composed Bagnaia was visibly upset, describing the experience as “one of the most frustrating races of my career.”
Bagnaia’s difficulties at Misano boiled down to a combination of factors. Firstly, the Ducati, while a dominant machine in recent years, didn’t seem to handle Misano’s demanding layout as well as it had in the past. Bagnaia’s issues with rear tire degradation and cornering speed hampered his ability to extract the full potential from the bike. Whether this was due to setup miscalculations or changing track conditions remains up for debate.
Additionally, Bagnaia was still nursing injuries from his terrifying Catalan GP crash. While he downplayed the physical toll it had taken on him, it’s reasonable to suspect that his body was not at 100%. He hinted post-race that his leg, which bore the brunt of the impact in Catalonia, was causing him discomfort, particularly in the later stages of the race.
Lastly, his rivals were simply on another level. Marco Bezzecchi, in particular, had a sensational weekend, taking advantage of every opportunity Bagnaia’s struggles presented. The pressure of being the reigning champion, coupled with the expectations of performing on home soil, only heightened Bagnaia’s frustration.
Bagnaia’s anger and disappointment were evident in his post-race interviews. “It’s not just about the result,” he said. “It’s about how we arrived here. I never felt good on the bike, and we couldn’t find solutions. That’s what hurts the most.”
He went on to express frustration not just with the bike’s performance but also with the team’s inability to resolve the grip issues that plagued him all weekend. “We knew what the problems were, but we couldn’t fix them in time. We missed something, and it cost us.”
Despite the challenging weekend, Bagnaia remained philosophical about the championship as a whole. “There are still races left, and I know what we’re capable of. This is just one race, but it’s one that we should have done bet
While Misano was a weekend Bagnaia will want to forget, he remains firmly in the hunt for another MotoGP title. His lead in the championship has narrowed, with Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi closing the gap. Bagnaia will need to put the Misano nightmare behind him quickly as the calendar moves toward some of the most crucial races of the season.
The Misano GP served as a sobering reminder that even the best riders in the world have off days. For Bagnaia, it was a chance to reflect on the importance of resilience and the continuous pursuit of improvement. Despite his frustration and anger, his focus remains on the ultimate goal: defending his MotoGP world championship title. Only time will tell if he can bounce back stronger and reclaim his dominance on the track.
