Bagnaia's title lead shrinks to 8 points, 'We know how to manage the pressure'

Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia insists he knows how to manage the title pressure after seeing a 66-point lead reduced to just 8 heading into Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Peter McLaren

30 Sep 2023

Francesco Bagnaia, Michelin, Tissot Sprint race, Japanese MotoGP 30 September — Francesco Bagnaia, Michelin, Tissot Sprint race, Japanese MotoGP 30…

The rider hunting Bagnaia down is Jorge Martin, riding the same factory-spec bike as Bagnaia but for the satellite Pramac team.

Martin was 66 points behind Bagnaia after the Catalunya Sprint but has claimed 97 of the 111 points since by finishing 3rd (Catalunya), 1st-1st (Misano), 2nd-1st (India) and now 1st (Motegi Sprint).

Bagnaia, having escaped injury in the scary Barcelona impact, fell again last weekend in India and has scored just 39 points over the same period. He also hasn't beaten Martin for the last six races in a row.

The factory Ducati star made a late pass on Jack Miller to complete the Saturday podium in Japan, but if their 1-3 results are repeated again tomorrow Martin will take the world championship lead.

“It was important today finishing at the top after the crash last week [in India], so for that reason I'm happy. But for tomorrow we have to do another step and we will do it,” Bagnaia told MotoGP.com.

“We will do the maximum. If Jorge will be in the front [of the standings], it will be because he’s better. But let's see. We know the pressure and we know how to manage it.

“I'm focusing on being my best, improving myself and I don't want to make any argument about the pressure or this kind of thing. It’s more important to be competitive.”

One type of pressure Bagnaia did admit to feeling was in his front tyre, as he spent lap-after-lap looking for a way past the KTM of Miller.

“It was very, very difficult [to pass Miller] because he was braking so hard. I was suffering a bit with the pressure of the front tyre, but like always with the new rule,” he said.

“But we did the maximum with what we had. I was expecting more rear grip, but that wasn't, so more than this was impossible. And I'm happy overall, but for tomorrow I'm quite sure it will change.”

While all riders used the soft rear tyre for the Sprint, some are expected to move to the medium for the full-length encounter.