Together with his Hungarian optimism squashed by a grim Catalan MotoGP weekend, Francesco Bagnaia is approaching his dwelling Misano spherical with out expectations.
The Ducati Lenovo rider was assured {that a} ‘big’ set-up change at Balaton Park provided a breakthrough in addressing season-long nook entry woes.
Nevertheless it was again to drafting board in Barcelona, the place Bagnaia returned to a extra regular set-up after being left twenty first on Friday.
The Italian’s scenario didn’t enhance in qualifying (twenty first), adopted by 14th within the Dash.
Bagnaia’s scenario lastly improved on Sunday, with fifth in warm-up after which seventh place within the grand prix.
Nonetheless, Bagnaia’s desire for the GP-fuel tank means he typically feels higher on Sunday.
“A much bigger gasoline tank helps me at all times to have extra traction and to exit sooner from the nook,” he confirmed.
The double world champion crossed the road 16 seconds from winner Alex Marquez, and 14.3 behind manufacturing facility team-mate Marc Marquez.
As soon as once more, Bagnaia’s 2024 race time – on the GP24 now being utilized by Alex Marquez, Fermin Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli – would have been sufficient for victory.
Lap Occasions: 2025 Catalan MotoGP Prime 3, Bagnaia 2024, Bagnaia 2025
With Bagnaia indicating he’ll keep away from the disruption of additional main modifications in a grand prix occasion, he’s now hoping for a extra regular weekend in Misano.
“Truthfully, I do not wish to do the identical as Balaton, the place I arrived right here satisfied that I could possibly be aggressive,” Bagnaia stated in Barcelona.
“So I’ll make a step again, wait till Misano and see what I can do.”
He added: “I would love to reach in Misano with this sort of pace, this sort of competitivity and see if I may be within the entrance.
“Begin already at this level on Friday and never be out of Qualifying 2… A traditional weekend.”
Off the rostrum for the previous 4 rounds, Misano, like Barcelona, has been a profitable occasion for Bagnaia prior to now.
He gained the San Marino Grand Prix in 2021 and 2022, was on the rostrum all through the 2023 and 2024 rounds, gained the Emilia Romagna Dash then crashed within the GP.
“Misano is at all times particular, we’ll attempt to benefit from the embrace of all of the Ducati followers,” Bagnaia stated.
Bagnaia begins the weekend having slipped 68 factors behind Alex Marquez within the battle for MotoGP title runner-up.
