Pecco Bagnaia eager to “understand what Alex Marquez is doing” after tough MotoGP Sprint

After struggling to seventh in the Sachsenring MotoGP Sprint, Pecco Bagnaia said he is looking to Gresini rider Alex Marquez, rather than team-mate and race winner Marc Marquez, for answers to his Ducati grip problems.

Unlike the other GP26 riders, Bagnaia said he’s not able to slide his Desmosedici effectively, causing him to overload the front.

Meanwhile, the rider best able to slide while still driving forward is Gresini rider Alex.

“I’m struggling a lot with grip and when we need to do the time attack it is the worst part. So rescuing a Q2 spot and P11 was the maximum,” Bagnaia said.

“I started well and tried to follow the riders in front of me. But as soon as the rear started to drop, I had to force the front, because I cannot use the slide like the other Ducatis.

“I don’t have grip, so as soon as I slide, I cannot accelerate. So I need to stay in-line with both wheels, and then I have a lot of understeering.

“I finished the front tyre, finished the rear, and the last 5-6 laps were very difficult.

“I tried everything to get close to Martin, but I was risking a lot and needed just to finish in seventh place.”

"If we can understand what Alex Marquez is doing..."

Riders will now switch from the soft to medium rear tyre for the full-length grand prix, might that help?

“I don’t know because I cannot use the slide, and with the medium you slide more.

“If we can understand what, mostly, Alex Marquez is doing, we can be competitive.

“Because we already saw the data, and the one that is having the most support from the bike is Alex and we need to understand that.”

Bagnaia will move up two places on the Sunday grid.

“Bez is out, and tomorrow Frankie has a 3-place grid penalty so I will start P9,” he confirmed.

“I don’t know if I am happy or not because starting from the outside is a good option here, but let’s see."