For the fifth time in the last six GPs, Pecco Bagnaia didn't see the finish line, and also fell for the fourth time. The rider from Piedmont was far from the fight for the podium when he went down, resulting in another zero, which means that Bezzecchi has now secured the 3rd place in the championship, not to mention that Acosta is very close to blowing Pecco out of 4th, as well.
Bagnaia tried to look at the positive aspect. "Compared to yesterday, we took a small step forward that helped me a little. Ttoday, I had a better pace, logically, not to get the results I'd like. The maximum was a fourth place, and I gave everything to finish that position. I was pushing and lost the front when braking, nothing out of the ordinary."
You seem to have lost the third place in the championship.
"Bezzecchi deserves third place in the championship much more than I do."
Do you think you made progress this weekend?
"Compared to Indonesia, yes. But, compared to Japan, no," he said, laughing. "I know what I can do and what the team can do. Unfortunately, we're missing something ,and we have to find a solution for the future. It's quite difficult to understand, and the team is working on it. I think we did a good job this weekend, like in Sepang. We have to continue like this, but these aren't the results we want. We want to fight for the victory and, today, an Aprilia won. We have to stay focused on the main goal."
Like you said, an Aprilia won. Do you think it outperformed Ducati in some aspect, like aerodynamics?
"No, I think the best bike is still Ducati, in all aspects, reliability, rideability, aerodynamics. But, this year, I'm struggling to take advantage of the potential of this bike."
Has Marc Marquez hidden the GP25's problems? Without him, can you see the real potential?
"I think more about what I'm experiencing. It's a difficult time. In the last two GPs, we worked better, and we have to build on that."
Until Misano, you hadn't fallen a lot. In the last six races, you went down four times. How come?
"Even before that, I was always close to falling, in every situation. At Phillip Island, I made it clear that I no longer want to finish last, so I push as hard as I can and, unfortunately, I fall. It's a shame. I lost so many points, I threw them away."
You didn't think about settling today? Quartararo wasn't a threat.
"As a rider who wants to win, I don't look at who I have behind but who I have in front. I wanted to go after Acosta, even though it was difficult because he was going faster than me."
Twenty-one Grand Prixs raced and one more to go. Is this season long?
"In my situation, it is. If I won, it wouldn't be," he said, laughing. "It's like that for everyone. The championship is going in this direction. For us, the more races we do the better but, when you're struggling, as is happening to me, it becomes long."
Do you need a break?
"I'd like the new season to start right away, to start from scratch, maybe working in a different way, like in the last two races."
Will you have something important in Tuesday's test after the Valencia GP?
"We'll see. I think there's going to be something different in the February tests in Malaysia, but I haven't looked at the schedule for the Valencia ones, yet. I hope my sensations will improve."