MotoGP: Francesco Bagnaia Makes Strong Comeback At Misano Following Aragon Crash

Saajan Jogia | Sep 6, 2024

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Francesco Bagnaia (1) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team rides during the qualifying session for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Despite last weekend's high-intensity Aragon crash with Alex Marquez that left Francesco Bagnaia injured, the Italian rider set a bold example during the second practice session at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. He set the fastest lap with a time of 1:30.685, just three-tenths of a second shy of the lap record established by championship leader Jorge Martin in 2023.

This achievement follows a crash that left him with neck and shoulder injuries, making it difficult for him to change directions smoothly on his Ducati GP24. Despite these challenges, he outpaced Marc Marquez, who finished second, and Martin, who was third fastest.

Regarding the incident with Alex Marquez, Bagnaia started third at the Aragon GP but dropped to seventh due to a poor start. As he fought his way back and aimed to challenge Marquez for the final podium spot, Marquez made a mistake at Turn 12. Bagnaia attempted to capitalize on this error, but contact occurred as he tried to overtake the Gresini rider.

In his attempt to overtake, Bagnaia collided with Marquez, causing both riders to veer off into the gravel uncontrollably. Bagnaia ended up beneath Marquez's bike during the crash, which was subsequently thrown aside. While he avoided severe injuries, the Ducati rider reported significant pain and limited mobility in his shoulder, collarbone, and neck.

The 27-year-old initially accused Marquez of intentionally crashing into him, using telemetry data from his bike as evidence. Marquez denied these allegations on social media. The situation remained tense until Thursday, when Bagnaia publicly apologized for his earlier comments, setting a positive tone for the San Marino GP weekend. He told the media:

“I want to say sorry to Alex for the strong words I said in the interviews after the race.

“I was very angry for what happened and looking at the telemetry was even worse from my point of view.

“But in any case, I was a bit too strong in my words. I didn’t want to say that he made me crash on purpose.

“The thing was that his defence was a bit aggressive, like is normal when you are fighting for the podium positions.

“I still think the same about the incident, because I have my way of thinking. But for the words I said [about him], I think it was a bit too much and I’m sorry to Alex.

“Sometimes the [anger] makes you say something that you don’t think. So, my point of view is that.

“He came to our office to say sorry for what happened and nothing more. We are two riders, we have two different points of views.

“It’s respectful, but for sure it’s the same ambition in the wrong moment.”

The crash increased Bagnaia's gap to Martin to 23 points, and his injuries have significantly affected his physical condition. Despite this, his fastest lap in practice demonstrates that his determination might still propel him to victory on Sunday.