MotoGP, Valencia Day 3, Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati/Ab) dismisses the controversy after his retirement and describes the collision with Johann Zarco as a "racing incident"

Francesco Pecco Bagnaia concluded one of the most trying seasons of his career with a fifth consecutive Grand Prix retirement. The Ducati rider was eliminated in the opening seconds of the Valencia GP after being hit by Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) at Turn 2. Despite his obvious frustration, the two-time Ducati world champion chose not to escalate the situation.

Relegated to 16th position on the grid after the Q1 refueling error – a rare mistake for Ducati which stunned the courtroom – bagnaia had, however, made a phenomenal start. I overtook six drivers, it was a great start. " he recalls.

What followed was much more brutal. zarcoOverly optimistic in his braking, he hit him from behind. The Frenchman immediately received a long-lap penalty, a sanction that bagnaia estimated " balanced and appropriate ».

« Zarco missed his braking point. It was a racing incidentSomething that can happen. He was sanctioned, and I think that was right. »

No controversy then, even if the Italian acknowledges that the first sequences of the Ricardo Tormo are " always complicated ", especially in a compact package.

With this abandonment, bagnaia displays an almost unimaginable statistic for a three-time world champion: five consecutive retirements in Grand Prix, not counting the puncture that cost him a podium in Malaysia, the fuel error in qualifying, and several technical problems or incidents at the start of the weekend.

Result: the one aiming for the title ultimately finishes fifth in the championship, after four seasons finishing in the top 2.

« One of the most difficult seasons, perhaps the worstEspecially the last part. Negativity attracts negativity. " comments Bagnaia, who is engaging in self-criticism.

Pecco Bagnaia: “ When you think too much about what's wrong, you attract negative things. »

The pilot Ducati However, he refuses to give in to defeatism. He believes that he and his team have been trapped in a harmful mental spiral.

« I believe that negativity is never the solution. When you dwell too much on what's wrong, you attract negative things.. »

He acknowledges his personal mistakes (“ I wasn't fast enough in Q1 "), those of the team (" The refueling error is inexplicable. "), and also the impact of accumulated fatigue over the course of an endless season.

« When a season is long but positive, you reach the end feeling fresher. That wasn't the case for us. We were all exhausted »

Despite the early fall, bagnaia He asserts that he had the pace to aim for the top 6, or even better.

But he now wants to turn the page and look towards the Ducati 2026. " I'm a dreamer. I still believe it's possible.We'll see if we can start from a good base right from the February tests. »

As for his method for winter, Pecco bagnaia will this time favor a less psychologically charged approach, with the objective of " rediscover the joy of riding a motorcycle from the very first rides ».

His message is clear: the era of regrets is over, it's time to rebuild. The upcoming tests will be crucial to regaining the competitive "base" he has so desperately missed. Ducati cannot afford to let its official champion sink for a second year. The phoenix must rise from the ashes immediately.

Course MotoGPValencia Grand Prix

Final MotoGP standings