JOIN USJust tried to be fast from the start: Bagnaia
Lenovo Ducati Team’s Francesco Bagnaia scored his second successive victory by winning the MotoGP of San Marino and Rimini Riviera on Sunday.
“I was knowing that it was important to start well and already pushing from the start because the initial grip was better. I just tried to be fast from the start. I did my best start ever because I started when the light went off. So, it was incredible. I just tried to manage the tyres and in the last laps, it was very difficult because Fabio (Quartararo) was recovering four-five tenths per lap and it was not easy. But in the last lap, i just tried to do the best. Sector three was the fastest of the race," Bagnaia said.
“The win in Aragon gave me a lot of motivation. In this track, it is more special because it is my own Grand Prix and in front of our crowd. So, it was incredible,” he added.
Behind Bagnaia, Yamaha MotoGP’s championship leader Fabio Quartararo and the Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) finished in the next two places.
Quartararo said: “I think it is my best race. Of course, a victory is different but I am happy for the second place, not because of the championship but because I gave it everything. At the beginning, with Jack (Miller), (Jorge) Martin, I was fighting with them like it was my last lap. On the last lap, I was a little bit too far from Pecco (Bagnaia) because on Turn 4 and 5, he was much stronger than Jack. I wanted to overtake in Turn 6, but I was too far and I had a lot of spin. It was a really nice race and the one that I enjoyed the most."
Bastianini observed: “It has been a spectacular podium for me because my pace was nice. Today, the race was something special. It is incredible for me to overtake big riders like (Alex) Rins, Marc (Marquez) and Jack (Miller). Then I thought that third place is fine. I also thought that in some races we have good potential. In the middle of the race, I was really fast. Starting from 12th place is not easy."
Quartararo leads the riders’ championship with 234 points, while Bagnaia is second on 186. Reigning champion from Ecstar Suzuki Joan Mir has 167, While Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco is fourth on 141 points.