Francesco Bagnaia rolled the cube on Friday on the German MotoGP by reintroducing a Ducati chassis first trialled throughout final 12 months’s Misano take a look at.
The Ducati Lenovo rider accomplished back-to-back runs, sacrificing time-attack preparation to assemble comparability knowledge. That additionally meant there was a much bigger threat of lacking out on a prime ten place for direct Qualifying 2 entry.
Nonetheless, Bagnaia was capable of safe ninth on the timesheets and, regardless of electing to have each bikes on his normal chassis for Saturday, feels the choice design can supply a bonus at different circuits.
“It was necessary to strive one thing completely different,” Sky Italia report Bagnaia as saying. “By testing a body in apply, we accepted the chance of being outdoors the highest 10 for Q2. And we weren’t removed from [missing out].”
Bagnaia had preferred the chassis on a GP24 ultimately 12 months’s Misano take a look at, however new developments have been then paused so as to not affect the title struggle with Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martin.
Earlier than the Sachsenring, the double world champion had solely had time to strive it as soon as extra, at this 12 months’s Sepang take a look at.
Whereas the chassis offered encouraging rear grip on Friday, the trade-off got here within the type of front-end motion, notably underneath braking. A difficulty Bagnaia has struggled with for a lot of the 12 months.
“I prefer it, it provides a variety of grip, it helps the bike flip, but it surely tends to make the entrance transfer lots. On a observe like this, it is not the most effective,” he stated.
“However we’ll positively strive it once more sooner or later as a result of I believe it’s a chassis that has nice potential on tracks the place there’s extra grip.”
With rain forecast for qualifying and the Dash, Bagnaia confirmed each of his bikes will return to the usual chassis from Saturday onwards.
Bagnaia will begin the Dash 58 factors behind Alex Marquez and 126 adrift of Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez.
“Scary” telemetry from di Giannantonio
Whereas Bagnaia targeted on his testing programme, he couldn’t assist however be impressed by the blistering tempo of VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio, who shattered the Sachsenring lap file whereas shadowing Marc Marquez.
“Diggia has at all times been robust right here and managed to set a good time. He managed to comply with Marc all through as we speak,” Bagnaia stated.
“Who higher than him to show you tips on how to go quick on the Sachsenring?
“I noticed the telemetry, and it was scary, superb.
“Following Marc is at all times troublesome as a result of we begin at completely different instances and in any case, I believe it is not simple to be pulled alongside.
“Typically, I don’t like following others. I take a look at his telemetry, I do know the place he makes the distinction [here], and I attempt to do the identical.”
The injured Alex Marquez was second quickest on Friday, with Marc pushed down to 3rd in the course of the time assaults – however strongest on used tyres.
