British MotoGP Red Flag "Changed Everything" for Pecco Bagnaia, Leads to Crash & Ducati Woes

Francesco Bagnaia, source : crashnet

Francesco Bagnaia: Red Flag "Changed Everything" at British MotoGP as Ducati Woes Resurface

Silverstone, UK – The British MotoGP Grand Prix proved to be a challenging and perplexing affair for Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning two-time World Champion. What began with a promising start, where he felt "good" on his Ducati Desmosedici GP25, quickly devolved into a frustrating nightmare following a red flag incident that forced a race restart. Bagnaia candidly admitted that after the restart, "nothing worked again," culminating in a crash at Turn 7 that ended his race prematurely. His comments shed light on persistent issues affecting the factory Ducati riders and the profound impact of unforeseen race interruptions.

Bagnaia's initial assessment of the race was positive. "At the beginning of the race, my feeling was good," he explained after the British Grand Prix. He acknowledged a less-than-ideal start but quickly found his rhythm. "I started not very good, but after the crash of Marc Marquez, I was there with Fabio Quartararo, opening the gap to the guy behind."¹ At this point, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider felt strong, with good rear tire grip and overall confidence in his machine. The early laps saw him in a prime position, battling at the sharp end, a testament to his inherent speed and the potential of his factory Ducati.

However, the race was dramatically interrupted by a red flag, necessitated by a crash involving Marc Marquez. This stoppage, intended to ensure rider safety and clear the track, inadvertently became a pivotal turning point for Bagnaia. During the red flag period, teams are permitted to make changes, including tire swaps. For Bagnaia, this seemingly routine procedure had unforeseen consequences. "We just changed the rear tire, put in a new one, and from that moment nothing worked again," he stated, highlighting the stark contrast in his bike's behavior.

The symptoms described by Bagnaia painted a clear picture of a machine that had lost its balance and grip. "I was sliding and spinning everywhere, no traction, everyone was overtaking me. I lost the rear in turn nine, went wide." This sudden deterioration in performance is a significant concern for any rider, let alone a multiple World Champion accustomed to absolute precision and control. The inability to maintain traction and drive out of corners meant he was a sitting duck for his rivals, unable to defend his position or maintain his pace.

The crash itself at Turn 7 was a direct consequence of these underlying issues. "Entering turn seven, I just tried to lean, and I lost the rear and then I crashed. It was already a difficult situation, but with a problem like this it's worse." Bagnaia's² frustration was compounded by his inability to understand the root cause of the problem. "I don't know why, but my situation was this one. It was difficult even to make lean angle on my bike because as soon as I was reaching 58 or 59 degrees was starting to spin with the rear, so it was really strange."³ This unusual behavior, where the bike would lose rear traction at relatively low lean angles, indicates a fundamental imbalance or an issue with the new rear tire's interaction with the track conditions after the restart.

Bagnaia also offered insights into the performance of other riders, particularly Alex Marquez, who crashed out of the first start but would likely have been the dominant force had it not been for his misfortune. "We have to say that Alex Marquez, without the crash in the first start, was winning the race with a hand behind [his back], he was much faster than everybody else," Bagnaia⁴ conceded. He acknowledged that Alex Marquez's need to switch to his second bike after the red flag also affected his feeling, but it underscored the raw pace Alex possessed before his incident.

Furthermore, Bagnaia credited Marc Marquez with "hiding" a mutual problem that factory Ducati riders had experienced throughout the weekend, particularly concerning front-end feeling. This suggests that while Marc Marquez managed to mask this issue with his exceptional riding, it was a persistent concern that ultimately impacted Bagnaia's performance. The fact that the British GP marked the first race in a significant period where a Ducati did not feature on the podium – a statistic that would have held true even without Fabio Quartararo's unfortunate retirement – is a clear wake-up call for the Bologna factory.

Baca Juga

"Marc Marquez was hiding the problem that we had all weekend: he did a fantastic job," Bagnaia admitted, acknowledging his teammate's ability to ride around the issue. "But we have to say that it's the first race after I don't know how many that a Ducati wasn't on the podium – without the problem of Fabio [Quartararo]. It's something to reflect on, and I know perfectly how my team and engineers are working to find a solution because others are improving, and we are stuck, or even going worse. So, we need to do a step."⁵

This concluding statement from Bagnaia is crucial. It highlights a growing concern within the factory Ducati camp. While Ducati has been dominant in recent seasons, the competition is clearly catching up, and in some areas, perhaps even surpassing them. The phrase "stuck, or even going worse" is a strong indictment, suggesting that their rivals' development has outpaced their own recent progress. This emphasizes the relentless nature of MotoGP development, where standing still is akin to going backwards.

The red flag rule in MotoGP is a double-edged sword. While it serves as a critical safety measure, it can also drastically alter the complexion of a race. Teams must make quick decisions regarding tire choices and bike setups, often without sufficient data for the new conditions or race distance. For Bagnaia, the decision to change the rear tire proved catastrophic, leading to a loss of the crucial "feeling" that top riders rely on. This feeling is not just about physical grip but also about the subtle communication between the rider and the machine, allowing for precise control at the absolute limit. When this connection is broken, performance inevitably suffers.

The pressure on Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Team will intensify as they look to understand and resolve these issues. As the reigning champion, Bagnaia is expected to consistently fight for victories, and any perceived stagnation in performance will be a cause for concern. The comments about "others improving" could be a veiled reference to Aprilia, KTM, or even the subtle gains made by Honda and Yamaha in certain areas.

The Silverstone race underscores the importance of continuous development and adaptability in MotoGP. Even for a manufacturer as dominant as Ducati, the margin for error is incredibly slim. Rivals are constantly pushing the boundaries, and any complacency can be severely punished. Bagnaia's crash serves as a stark reminder that even the best riders can be undone by unforeseen technical issues or an inability to adapt to changing race conditions. The challenge for Ducati now is to quickly diagnose the problem that plagued Bagnaia and ensure they take the necessary "step" to regain their undisputed advantage, especially with the championship battle heating up. The MotoGP season is long, and every point, and every race, is vital in the quest for the ultimate prize.