Bagnaia: “I accept the penalty but in the future we need more consistency”

Jerez MotoGP winner Francesco Bagnaia says dropping one position to Jack Miller for an overtake that appeared to be hard but fair will only be accepted if similar punishments are handed out.

Robert Jones

30 Apr 2023

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati MotoGP Jerez 2023

Bagnaia made the move on Miller on the exit of turn six after his former MotoGP teammate ran wide aboard his KTM.

The current world champion inevitably saw an opening, however, it resulted in Miller having to avoid a potential crash, which angered the Australian.

Speaking on if the penalty that saw him have to give the place back was fair, Bagnaia added: "I don’t want to say too much on the penalty. I just want to say that I accept it but in the future we need consistency.

"So today, if I take this penalty which for me wasn’t so risky [of an overtake] compared to other touches we saw this year, then I just want consistency. If I see it then I accept it."

After overtaking Miller for a second time, Bagnaia didn’t look back as he went on to pressure Brad Binder before winning the race thanks to an overtake with three laps remaining.

"After I overtook Jack [Miller] I just needed one or two laps to have again the same feeling with the front," said Bagnaia. "As soon as I felt it again I pushed. I was quite surprised with the 1m 37.9s but I said I wanted to catch him.

"I managed well the tyres on the first part of the race because last year it was more or less the same.

"But it wasn’t easy because as soon as I was behind again, then the front feeling was quite stressed. I tried to overtake him quickly to not stress it again."

In parc ferme after the race, Bagnaia was seen pointing at the number one plate on his Ducati, a clear message to his critics following criticism for crashes in Argentina and America.

And while Bagnaia laughed about it, he did say it was an gesture to boost his ego.

Bagnaia stated: "Was more for my ego. For me, this race wasn’t easy mentally because after two crashes it was very easy not to be calm.

"When I saw the possibility I just tried to be in the front again and I wanted this victory to motivate my team for the work we are doing. Was for me, for my ego. It’s a good race for the #1."