Bagnaia Plummets to 14th at Mandalika, Expresses Frustration with DucatiS Sudden Performance Drop
Mandalika, Indonesia – Reigning MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia endured a shocking result at the Mandalika International Street Circuit, finishing 14th in the Sprint race on October 4th after a dominant victory at Motegi the previous week. The Ducati factory rider voiced profound frustration, stating, “I didn’t have to fight my motorcycle the only time, I won everything. Now I’m back were I was in Misano – adn it will stay that way for the rest of the season.”
The dramatic shift in performance has left Bagnaia and his team searching for answers,as the 28-year-old reports a drastically different feeling from the bike despite assurances from Ducati technology chief Gigi Dall’igna that the motorcycle remains unchanged. this downturn comes at a critical juncture in the championship battle, possibly jeopardizing Bagnaia’s title defense. He trails championship leader Marc Marquez by 100 points (544 to 444) with ten races remaining.
“I thought that I coudl drive here with the same feeling as in Motegi. But now it effectively works – theoretically – the same bike as before,” Bagnaia lamented. He detailed issues with braking, acceleration, and overall bike stability, saying, “I can’t brake harder because the front wheel slips away in almost every curve. I can’t go to the gas because the rear wheel is crazy.And I can’t accelerate properly because the bike is so rocked up. I don’t think we are talking about a technical problem – it is indeed outside of my control.”
Marco Bezzecchi (aprilia) won the Sprint race in 19:37.047, followed by Ferm Aldeguer (Ducati) +0.157 seconds behind, and Raúl Fernández (Aprilia) +4.062 seconds back.
MotoGP Mandalika, Sprint (October 4) – Top 10:
- Marco Bezzecchi (I), Aprilia, 19:37.047
- Ferm Aldeguer (E), Ducati, +0.157 sec
- Raúl Fernández (E), Aprilia, +4.062
- Alex Marquez (E), Ducati, +5.832
- Joan Mir (E), Honda, +8.759
- Luca Marini (I), Honda, +9.621
- Marc marquez (E), Ducati, +9.772
- Franco Morbidelli (I), Ducati, +11.980
- Fabio di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +12.096
- Miguel Oliveira (P),Yamaha,+12.988
world Championship Standings (after 34 of 44 races):
- Marc Marquez,544 points
- Vinales,444 points
- Ogura,72 points
- Miller,58 points
- Rins,45 points
- Martin,34 points
- Oliveira,26 points
championship Points:
* Constructors: 1. Ducati (621 points), 2. Aprilia (298 points), 3. KTM (260 points), 4. Honda (225 points), 5. Yamaha (180 points)
* Teams: 1. Ducati Lenovo Team (818 points), 2. BK8 Gresini Racing (502 points), 3. Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing (381 points), 4. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (300 points), 5. Aprilia Racing (296 points).
