The Ducati Pramac stops in Q1 on Saturday afternoon at Montmelò with Bagnaia who will start thirteenth just ahead of his teammate, Jack Miller. So many difficulties and a weekend also characterized by falls for the Borgo Panigale satellite team.
"I complicated my life with the fall in FP3 ," said Bagnaia. "It's a weekend where strange things are happening. I'm strong with the used tire. I had a good pace."
What are the biggest problems?
"I don't know. I was doing well this morning. Then we made a change that I didn't like and, when we went back to the previous configuration, I took a strange fall."
How did it happen?
"It was really unusual. Different from Quartararo, who fell before me," said Bagnaia. "I didn't even have my knee on the ground, and the bike abandoned me. It was a shame because I lost the Q2, which was today's goal."
You had to go through Q1, and you stopped there. Why?
"It was really hot," added Pecco. "And when these are the conditions , my traction problems get worse. It was too difficult to make the time needed for the Q2. I'm sorry because I know I can be competitive. It's all experience."
The choice of tires will be decisive for tomorrow's race. Do you already have some idea?
"We'll see tomorrow during the warm up ," he said. " 'm quite focused on the soft because, the way I ride, I know that it can hold up. With this heat, the medium is not good."
Any predictions on the type of race it'll be and on your own race?
"We didn't have the problems today that we had yesterday. I don't know how the time attack would have gone with the double soft, but I feel pretty good. It'll be a slow race and focused on tire management. I can't let myself get caught up in the excitement, otherwise I won't be able to handle the tires well. This track consumes a lot, and we were able to see that clearly today.
His teammate, Jack Miller, was of the same opinion. Miller, as already mentioned, qualified just behind Bagnaia in fourteenth position.
"I expect a really slow race ," the Australian rider said. "Nobody has enough speed and we should manage the tires a lot."
What about today? Bad qualification, but how was your pace?
"I felt I had a really good pace this morning. Yesterday, I also rode with a used tire, and it wasn't bad. At the end of the FP3, I mounted the new soft one, and it didn't work like I wanted. It was a day characterized by errors: in Turn 10 and in Turn 4 (where I suffered a lot). I couldn't use the rear brake because I would have completely lost the bike. Too bad."
Where are you with the choice of tire and perfecting the bike?
"We'll see tomorrow during the warm up ," concluded Miller. "I think I can use the medium in front, but it depends on the conditions we'll find tomorrow. Ducati works well in the first sector, something is missing in other points, but I have a good pace, and I'm confident."
Audio recorded by Matteo Aglio