‘It’s like a minigun’ - Pecco Bagnaia critical of Hungary MotoGP track break-up

Pecco Bagnaia says asphalt break-up during the Hungary MotoGP sprint was like being shot with a “minigun” due to the stones being flicked up while in traffic.

The Balaton Park circuit underwent a partial resurface in a number of places following last month’s World Superbike round.

But the job has come in for criticism already, with several riders - including Pecco Bagnaia - complaining about a lack of grip at Turn 1.

After finishing ninth in the sprint on Saturday in Hungary, Bagnaia noted that the asphalt surface was breaking up at Turn 7 and showering him with stones when he was following other bikes.

“But it’s that slow that corner that it’s not that difficult to stay on the line,” he said on Saturday.

“The bigger problem is corner seven.

“When you are behind someone, it’s like having a minigun in front of you for the stones that are coming out from the asphalt.

“Normally, when you do the asphalt too close to a race, it never lasts, because also in these conditions you feel the stones coming out.

“So, maybe in the future we need to know that.”

“I’m giving my 200%”

Bagnaia came through Q1 to qualify fifth, but ultimately dropped to ninth at the chequered flag having lost positions at the start.

He blamed an overly-defensive Fermin Aldeguer for this, and believes he could have been higher up the order if the Gresini rider had taken Turn 1 normally.

“Yeah, I had a very good start, but then - honestly - I had some trouble entering into the first corner because [Fermin] Aldeguer was defending a bit too much over me and not overtaking others on the inside,” he explained.

“So, we both lost too many positions. Maybe if he was thinking more on the inside, maybe we were finishing corner one third and fourth.

“But then he was trying to not let me pass, and I wasn’t trying to overtake him, and we lost many positions; I lost much more than him.”

Bagnaia has struggled all weekend with a lack of traction, but believes Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez’s step forward to take pole and victory on Saturday could offer him the way forward.

“I’m giving my 200% to be fast here, but my riding style doesn’t suit anything to this track, and I’m trying everything to kind of be able to close the line more in the exit of the corners from the chicane,” he said.

“But I’m struggling. I know that Marc in those corners is the best; he’s the master of tight corners.

“And I’m trying to improve. I have to say that I’m improving a lot, but I’m losing a lot in acceleration, and we need to understand what I did because Marc yesterday was struggling and today did a very good step in front in terms of acceleration.

“So, maybe we have the solution in the garage, and we try to have it.”