Francesco Bagnaia is gearing up for the Spanish MotoGP Sprint race with a keen eye on front-end enhancements, following a satisfying Friday practice. Although Bagnaia was content with his time attack and race pace, the pursuit of these improvements ahead of Saturday’s qualifying has become crucial. The Ducati champion finished second to Alex Marquez, while outpacing his teammate Marc Marquez.
“Happy for the result,” Bagnaia remarked, “because I was competitive with new medium tyres, new soft, even used tyres.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged discomfort on corner entry with braking. “I still feel that the rear is pushing a bit the front… so I need to solve it before the Sprint race.” Corners like Turn 5 and Turn 9, where he previously excelled, pose challenges this weekend, yet he remains optimistic about further enhancements in the final practice.
Bagnaia aims for an error-free qualifying, cautious of repeating mistakes from Qatar. “I think the potential is there to fight for the top three, to fight for the win. But we need to do another little step tomorrow.” Addressing fuel issues experienced in various Sprints this year, including Qatar, Bagnaia tested modifications on Friday and seemed hopeful about their potential inclusion, depending on slipstream conditions.
When asked about his main competitors, Bagnaia identified Marc Marquez as a formidable opponent. “Marc in this moment is like in the last races – he’s the strongest,” Bagnaia noted. Identifying risks, he added, “Alex [Marquez]… committed two mistakes but was very strong on the time attack. Fabio [Quartararo] is also very competitive. But right now, I would say Marc is the man to beat.”
Having bested Marc Marquez previously in Spanish MotoGP, Bagnaia hopes to extend his winning streak with a fourth consecutive victory on Sunday. Fans and enthusiasts eagerly await the unfolding battle, with Bagnaia’s quest for optimization adding a layer of intrigue.
