Francesco Bagnaia: “I was feeling good… until lap 6”
"I started to have a lot of chattering, a lot of vibration."
Reigning double MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia came into the COTA weekend looking for redemption after last year’s error while leading and zero points in the Portimao GP.
But he left Texas with only eighth and fifth places to show for his efforts after rear grip issues in the Sprint were followed by chatter (vibration) problems in the Grand Prix.
The factory Ducati star became sandwiched between title leader Jorge Martin and eventual COTA winner Maverick Vinales at turn one, finishing the first lap in fifth.
Once again running the soft rear tyre despite his Saturday woes, after re-trying it successfully in warm-up, Bagnaia initially looked back to his best as he played a key role in early battles at the front.
But the Italian had faded to fifth by lap 9, where he remained. Bagnaia later revealed that chatter issues, which seem to have affected most GP24 riders intermittently this year, were his undoing.
“This morning I used the tyre from the Sprint race, just to put more laps on a used tyre and understand if a soft could do all the race. And I think it was the correct choice,” Bagnaia began.
“My race started well, I was feeling good. I was thinking before lap 6 that I was able to fight for a win or podium. But I started to have a lot of chattering, a lot of vibration on the left side, and it was very difficult to manage everything.
“We have to understand the situation and solve the problems, because like now it’s very difficult. The situation is very similar to 2022, when at the start of the season I had to race in ‘defence’.
“But I know perfectly - all my trust is in my team - that we will solve the problem and be fighting for the top again.”
Bagnaia is now fifth in the world championship, 30-points behind Jorge Martin.
Team-mate Enea Bastianini completed Sunday’s podium in third and leaves the USA as Martin’s nearest championship rival.
