MotoGP, Bagnaia: "In 2022 we had excellent feelings, now there's not much time"

Pecco Bagnaia will have to go through Q1. A disappointing Friday afternoon at Jerez for the Italian rider, who remained outside the top ten and was called upon to play catch-up. For his part, the disappointment is clear, especially considering the confidence shown in Andalusia with the red bike.

"I'm quite surprised - he declared - last year the sensations were incredible here at Jerez, while this year I'm struggling with the front and we're working hard. We have an idea of how to go about finding a solution in terms of consistency, even if I expected more. Unfortunately, I'm out of Q2 and tomorrow we'll have to figure out what to do. The problems are sector 3 and 4, where we lose too much time”.

Pecco then went into further detail.

“Last year the bike turned well, while this year I'm going too wide, but maybe this depends on the layout of the track on less wide circuits. Now the grip is the only thing that is good. We must work, given that the balance of the bike is different compared to the GP22. Last year everything came easily, while now it's different since it's not the start I expected. So, we need to go in another direction."

His mind is already switched on to Saturday.

"I haven't made any big changes, since I've only been trying to understand which direction to take for tomorrow. Saturday will therefore be fundamental. On this track it is essential to be in front, as a result qualifying will become crucial, especially using the two soft tyres. Then for the race we'll see about the medium, since it's perhaps the best choice".

However, Pecco tries to remain calm.

“I'm not worried, because I'm convinced that the team will do everything to help me improve. The problem is that we don't have much time to be able to make big changes considering what the weekend schedule is. At the moment, the crucial aspect is to improve the feelings at the front."

Finally, a comment about Dani Pedrosa.

“Dani was very good, his pace is fast, but not like on the flying lap. It's nice to see him on the track, even if I never saw him up close. In the end, it's the Pedrosa we know."