Ducati’s new No.1?
Bagnaia saves Ducati blushes with brilliant turnaround
‘Second was the maximum possible’
Pecco Bagnaia went from agony to ecstasy to save Ducati from a Portimao pasting. The Italian suffered late heartache in Q2 when a record-breaking lap for pole position was scrubbed off for a yellow flag infringement. That dumped the 2018 Moto2 World Champion down to 11th on the grid, but he carved his way through to finish second. Bagnaia’s brilliance saved Ducati from a dismal day after Johann Zarco and Jack Miller both tumbled out of podium contention. And rookie sensation Jorge Martin was forced to watch the race from a hospital bed in Faro after a violent high-speed crash at turn seven in FP3 left the Spaniard with a broken right hand and foot (see separate story, left). Bagnaia said: “On Saturday we lost the possibility to try to win. Maybe I’d have still been second, but I’d have had the chance to fight. Second was the maximum possible and we achieved it.” A pole position and two podiums from the opening three races have already underlined
Bagnaia’s credentials to be Ducati top dog in 2021.
He was woefully off the pace in Portimao last November and wildly inconsistent throughout 2020. But the VR46 Academy graduate believes now he’s capable of fighting at the front on a consistent basis, saying: “It’s too soon to speak about the championship. My objective this year was to be constant everywhere and in circuits where I was struggling last year. Last year in Portimao I was last or close to being last.
“We made a great step, and soon we will be in Jerez, Le Mans, Barcelona and Mugello which are circuits I like. Maybe the first victory will arrive.” In-form Frenchman Zarco surrendered the series lead and missed the chance to score three podiums in three successive MotoGP races for the first time when he crashed out of third with six laps remaining after a downshifting issue. Instead of being in second gear for turn 11, Zarco’s bike was in first and the extra engine braking at full lean angle saw him washout the front. Miller’s tough start to his factory Ducati career continued when he fell after just six laps. Coming off the back of disappointing ninth places finishes in both Qatar races, he said: “It was my fault and it’s a silly mistake. I’m in the trenches but I’ve been in worse situations and I’ll dig myself out.”