MotoGP, Austria J2, Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati/Q3-SAb): "Before saying something bad, I want to wait for Michelin to tell me what happened"

A wild start was expected, a thrill guaranteed... and yet, Pecco Bagnaia experienced a Sprint race to forget at the Red Bull Ring. Third on the grid, the two-time Ducati champion messed up the start, lost places, and then ended up pitting prematurely. In the red box, the verdict was quickly delivered: suspect rear tire. And Pecco's explanations confirm an unbearable scenario.

Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, the Italian details the cascade of symptoms: " Before I say something bad, I want to wait for Michelin to tell me what happened. We can't explain it, it's difficult to explain. From the warm-up, I felt something strange. At the start, I skidded sharply on the grid and after three laps, I completely blew my rear tire..

He adds : " I started to steer in the straight line in a particular way, the motorcycle was very unstable and I even reached the first bend without brakes. From there, I decided to give up, because it made no senseThe bike was shaking a lot on the straight. »

Pecco Bagnaia: “ After the race, Piero Taramasso from Michelin came to ask what had happened and we chatted for a while. »

Cause and effect link with the initial slide? bagnaia does not exclude it: " when a tire has so little grip, it is possible. But the same thing happened to Aldeguer, who then rode hard. This could be due to a combination of factors. Either way, it's strange. After the race, Piero Taramasso from Michelin came to ask what had happened and we chatted for a while. I explained my feeling, then They took the tire to analyze it, and the strangest thing is that it was the racing tire chosen as the best of the weekend »

The Piedmontese, however, refuses to sink: " what happened today shouldn't happenI had a great feeling on Friday, and this morning in FP2 I was very happy. In qualifying, something didn't go as planned, but I still set the third fastest time. Then, in the sprint, nothing worked, which is difficult. I remain positive, knowing that we have a good chance on Sunday.I hope to start well, we'll see. »

Pecco describes an unmanageable rear: " the tire was worn after three laps, I could no longer accelerate out of the bend. I still tried to attack in a straight line, but he tended to spin. Traction control has intervened and created this movement that generated instability, all of this linked to the lack of grip at the rear. When it spins so much, the temperature rises suddenly and bubbles form on the tire. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, because I don't think anyone could have predicted this type of problem.We must work to prevent this from happening again.. Before I say anything bad, I want to wait for Michelin to tell me what happened. »

Sunday remains to redeem himself, on a track where he has won the last three years. The plan is clear: " If I get a good start, I'll have a chance. We know Marc was very strong yesterday and today; he's our main rival. We'll see tomorrow if I'll be able to attack. The race is long, we have to manage the situation well. I think the best tire to use is the medium. We'll see. »

Sprint black, but horizon still red: if the start is clean and the rear holds, Pecco bagnaia has what it takes to get the GP25 back on track at the Red Bull Ring.

MotoGP, Austria D2: Starting grid

MotoGP, Austria Day 2: Sprint classification

Championship: