Bagnaia: Consistency 'crucial' to keep closing points gap

The 11 points Francesco Bagnaia gained on Fabio Quartararo in the chaotic end to the Austrian MotoGP marked the biggest chunk he has taken from the Frenchman's title lead since Jerez.

It also moved the Ducati rider into joint second in the world championship, with Suzuki's Joan Mir.

But unfortunately for Bagnaia he only reversed the 11 points lost to Quartararo the previous weekend and the gap to the Yamaha rider remains a hefty 47 points heading into Silverstone this weekend.

"In the last race at the Red Bull Ring, in Austria, we came very close to victory once again, and this confirms that we are working well," said Bagnaia, who was leading the race before the late downpour. "Now we are second in the Championship, and it is crucial to continue to be consistent to get as close as possible to the top of the standings.

"Silverstone is a less favourable track for the characteristics of our bike than Zeltweg, but if we can concentrate from Friday's free practice onwards, we can be competitive.

"As always, here in England, the weather will play an important role, so we have to be ready to adapt to any track conditions".

Team-mate Jack Miller managed just five points from the Austrian double header, falling in race one and then left just eleventh in race two as an early tyre change to wets didn't pay off.

Currently fifth in the world championship, the Australian is hoping to pick up where he left off after qualifying for the most-recent 2019 Silverstone round.

The then Pramac Ducati rider began the race from the front row, but his ride-height device failed to deactivate at Turn One and he plummeted down the order before salvaging eighth.

"The last two races in Austria didn't exactly go as we hoped, so we come to Silverstone determined to move on and get a good result," said Miller.

"In 2019, in the last GP held here, I had managed to get a front-row start and felt I could do well in the race, but unfortunately, a problem did not allow me to do so.

"In England, the weather is always uncertain, so we'll have to work hard from the first sessions to be ready for Sunday's race under any circumstances."

Although chasing Quartararo and Monster Yamaha in the riders' and teams' standings, Ducati now leads the manufacturers' rankings.

And with Maverick Vinales' out at Yamaha, Bagnaia and Miller have a much better chance of overhauling the present 37 points gap in the teams' championship.