#ItalianGP

Pecco Bagnaia finishes on the third step of the podium despite a lack of grip. Ivan Ortolá races like a true leader but is stopped by tire issues and a technical problem. A weekend lived on the edge of your seat.

The Mugello weekend lived up to expectations. Pecco thrilled the fans with an outstanding performance, consistently running among the front-runners from the Free Practice sessions onward. Third fastest in Free Practice 2, sixth in Q2, seventh in the Sprint, and a well-deserved third place in the main race despite clear grip issues and after leading the field for more than half the race. A great performance for Suomy in Moto2 as well, where Ivan Ortolá managed the race like a leader, showing impressive speed, focus, and physical preparation. Unfortunately, first tire degradation and then a technical problem forced him to retire with two laps remaining.

SPRINT RACE

The Italian Grand Prix weekend at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello delivered intense emotions for the fans of Francesco Bagnaia. The Ducati rider was the protagonist of two very different races, showing character and resilience in front of his home crowd.

Saturday’s Sprint race did not smile on Bagnaia. Starting from the last spot of the second row with the sixth-fastest qualifying time, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider lost ground in the opening stages after a difficult start and quickly found himself stuck in the pack. Despite having competitive race pace, Pecco was unable to recover enough positions to join the fight for the podium, crossing the finish line in seventh place.

RACE 

In Sunday’s main race, Bagnaia stepped up a gear. After a more effective start than on Saturday, the Italian champion remained consistently among the front-runners. From the third lap onward, he led the race, steadily increasing his advantage lap after lap. From lap thirteen, however, Pecco began to suffer from a lack of rear grip. Despite this, he was highly motivated and determined to give his fans something to cheer about. Once again, he demonstrated his determination and ability to fight at the highest level, even during a weekend made particularly challenging by the speed of rival bikes and grip-related issues.

Bagnaia ultimately secured a valuable third-place finish, resisting Ogura’s final attacks and giving Ducati an important podium result at its home Grand Prix. The podium at Mugello confirms his competitiveness and represents an encouraging sign ahead of the upcoming rounds of the championship.

Francesco Bagnaia

– Sprint Race 7° –

"It was a difficult day: in qualifying I made a mistake at Turn 10 during the time attack, and without it I believe I could have secured a front-row start. Unfortunately, unlike yesterday, I struggled to be effective at the start this morning, and the same thing happened in the Sprint. I lost several positions off the line, and then I tried to recover as many places as possible. We have the pace to do well, as we showed at the end, but we need to keep working to improve our starts, also because overtaking has become more difficult than in the past."

– Race 3° –

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) 

"It was a very intense race. I gave everything I had, as was only right, and perhaps even a little more than usual. This morning we made a step forward with the starts, improving an aspect of the electronics that helped me a lot. The goal from the very beginning was to take the lead and manage the race, and I succeeded for half of it. Then, however, rear grip started to drop, and after being overtaken by Bezzecchi, I decided not to push excessively anymore: I believe it was the right decision. Despite the improvements, we are still struggling with tire wear and grip, especially through the corners, but we must continue working in this direction."