Ducati-Werks rider Pecco Bagnaia completed the Sprint race with hard tires. In this race, the Ducati-Werks rider won the last two Grand Prix in Japan and a long run. Bagnaia maintained the lead from the start of the race and achieved victory in the Sprint. The starting position for this year differed for the number 13 bike. Bagnaia moved from the number 13 position to number 9 in the first lap. Like all riders, he raced with Michelin's hard tire recommendation. However, Bagnaia could not gain a decisive advantage in the midfield and finished eighth on the finish line, approximately 20 seconds behind Marc Marquez, his teammate at Ducati-Lenovo.
The Effect of Hard Tires
Comments were made regarding Bagnaia's race with the hard tires. Bagnaia spoke about the hard tires: "> That was a positive surprise, because at least I could do something more." The rider also criticized himself: "> It was a mistake by us riders, not to test it beforehand." Michelin defined the hard tires as a backup tire and stated, "meaning, no backup tires should be used." Bagnaia used the hard tires during a 10-minute warm-up period. He mentioned that a similar situation occurred in the past, stating, "There was a similar situation in the past, hard tires were the best choice."
World Championship and Performance
Regarding Bagnaia's victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, Bagnaia expressed delight for Ducati's 100th victory since Gigi Dall’Igna's participation in November 2013: "> Everyone knows Gigi, he has done an incredible job." Bagnaia described the championship battle between Marquez and Jorge Martin as "fantastic." Bagnaia stated that the championship would be decided in Valencia. With Alex Marquez being eliminated with 164 points, Bagnaia became the World Champion in eighth place.
Race Overall Assessment
Bagnaia identified the lack of grip from the tires in the rear axle as the main problem: "> I cannot do what the fastest ones can." He expressed that the entire weekend was impossible because last year was super strong and he had a clear idea of what he could do. Bagnaia did not blame his team, stating that he could not do more.
Figures
- Marc Marquez is competing in second place with 331 points in the 2026 MotoGP season (Ducati Team).
- Archive: Francesco Bagnaia revealed our true potential in Q1 battles (September 19, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
