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Bagnaia had hoped that Phillip Island would become his friend this year, relations have improved a bit, but the spark has not yet ignited. Pecco was left with no choice but to play in defense and limit the damage. In some ways he succeeded, conceding 10 points to Martin over the weekend (6 in the Sprint and 4 in the GP) thanks in part to Marquez's victory. So he could not fail to answer a question about 2015, the year of the clash between Valentino and Marc after the Spaniard's victory in Australia.
"Marc did me a favour? I'll ask him now. I think today he just wanted to win, he had the chance to do it and he did it. I don't think he was thinking about 2015," replied Bagnaia, deflecting the question.
Reminiscences aside, the world champion is half okay with 3rd place. "Unfortunately yesterday we lost our way a bit - was his regret - In the warm up I tried a different setup that worked better, but we got there a bit late. Compared to the Sprint it was better, but I kept struggling to get the bike turning, we made a step forward but not big enough. So to try to keep the pace of Martin and Marquez, I forced on the front tire and after 15 laps I was out of it. So I started using the rear and I ran out of that as well. In the last few laps I was really in trouble."
It was not possible to do more?
"I did the maximum, so that's good, I was able to keep up with the first two until I had problems - was Bagnaia's response - They had an incredible pace, Jorge was really going strong and Marc even more so. I don't call it frustration, it's an opportunity where we could have achieved more but we made a mistake yesterday. It can happen and I'm sure it won't happen again. When things go wrong, finishing in 3rd place is a great result. It was important to be able to close the gap a little bit on a track that is not ideal for me, the next ones will be better."
And they will be in quick succession: Buriram next weekend, Sepang the one after that. The goal is to make up the 20-point gap, because then only the grand finale in Valencia will remain.
"Those are two circuits where I am faster," Pecco said, "At Phillip Island in the past I did good results, but I was never as fast as at Motegi, for example. Buriram and Sepang suit my riding style better and I think I will be stronger. Coming here, I knew there was a high possibility of losing points and I didn't do enough to avoid it, while Jorge was perfect over the weekend."
The Spaniard of the Pramac team has won less than the world champion (3 GPs versus 8), but his consistency is making a difference.
"My mistakes are weighing heavily, the races where I've been knocked down, everything weighs - was Pecco's reflection - It's pointless to think about it, for sure we're both fast and strong, it's an equal fight. When everything is right I am in front, my potential is to fight for the podium in all races."
The last comment was about Marquez and his start regarding the ... tear-off.
"I saw him throwing it away and it went the wrong side because the wind was blowing that way," Bagnaia recounted, "After I realized it, I went to the right at the start, but Vinales moved to the left and I had to slalom. Among us riders, we told each other not to throw the tear-off on the grid after Miller's problem in Misano in 2020, when he got one in his airbox, but it's not a rule. Clearly, if you have a bug squashed in front of your eyes you can't see and you have to do it."
