Bagnaia Traces the Path to Victory in Jerez

The defending MotoGP champion, Francesco Bagnaia, struggled in the last two series, even losing to "rookie" Pedro Acosta.

AP PHOTO/JOSE BRETON

Ducati racer Francesco Bagnaia tackled a corner followed by Ducati Gresini Racing racer Marc Marquez during the MotoGP Grand Prix Portugal race at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal, on Sunday (24/3/2024).

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, THURSDAY — The MotoGP race returns to the European Continent at the Jerez track, Spain, which in the last two seasons has been dominated by Francesco Bagnaia. The factory Ducati team racer is determined to finish at the front again in Jerez as well as redemption for two difficult races in Portimao and Austin. Bagnaia is determined to attack at Jerez after always defending in the last two races.

"In the last two races, we have been in a defensive position. Jerez presents a different challenge from the tracks where we have raced so far, so working hard in every session to understand how the GP24 behaves on this circuit is very important," said Bagnaia on the official Ducati Corse website.

Jerez was once a very difficult track for Ducati because of its tricky braking points. However, since the 2021 season, the Ducati motorcycle which had difficulties turning has become very strong, with Jack Miller winning in Jerez and Bagnaia finishing second. Meanwhile, in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Bagnaia has always been the lead rider on the 4.42-kilometer track.

"In the past two years, we have achieved two fantastic victories here in Spain, and I will compete again for a top position this weekend. With many fast racers on the grid, it won't be easy, but we are determined and ready to give it our all," said Bagnaia.

Also read: Francesco Bagnaia: I Messed Up the Race

The defending champion of MotoGP is now in fifth position in the standings with 50 points, trailing 30 points behind the current leader of the standings, Pramac Racing racer, Jorge Martin. This season, Bagnaia began the championship competition by winning the main race and finishing fourth in the first sprint series in Qatar.

AP PHOTO/JOSE BRETON

Ducati Lenovo racer Francesco Bagnaia (third from left) and Ducati Prima Prmac racer Jorge Martin (fourth from left) zoomed off on their motorcycles after the start of the MotoGP Grand Prix Portugal race at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal on Sunday (24/3/2024).

However, the racer nicknamed Pecco then experienced difficult moments in Portimao and continued in Austin. He was involved in an accident with Gresini Racing racer, Marc Marquez, while fighting for fifth position in Portimao. Meanwhile in Austin, United States, Pecco was only able to finish in fifth position in the main race. Pecco lost out to the brilliant rookie, Gasgas Tech3 rider Pedro Acosta who finished in second place. The third podium in Austin was occupied by Pecco's teammate, Enea Bastianini, after a fierce battle with Martin.

Bastianini has always finished on the podium in the main race, taking second place in Portimao and third place on the podium in Austin. This has been a source of motivation for Bastianini to continue improving his performance. The racer nicknamed 'Bestia' is currently in second place in the standings with 59 points. Below him is Aprilia racer, Maverick Vinales, with 56 points, and Acosta in fourth place with 54 points.

Also read: Bagnaia-Marquez Incident Alarm for Ducati

"I am happy to be able to race again in Jerez. This is a beautiful track, where I really enjoy driving here. Last year, I tried to come back here after a shoulder injury, but I wasn't ready and had to drop out before two races," said Bastianini.

"This year we are racing in Spain after achieving two podiums, and even though Jerez is a very different track from Austin, we have all the conditions for a successful weekend," continued the racer nicknamed "Bestia."

Bestia also continues to be determined to improve his performance, especially in sprint races.

"I have regained the sensation of driving, and our team's cooperation is strong. I need to focus on becoming more consistent in the early stages of the race and becoming more solid in the sprints," said Bestia, who has not yet experienced a podium finish in the sprint race this season.

AFP/GETTY IMAGES/MIRCO LAZZARI GP

Ducati team racer, Enea Bastianini, is preparing to participate in the main race of MotoGP's United States series at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Austin, Texas, on Monday (15/4/2024) early morning Western Indonesia Time. Bastianini finished third in the race.

After the Spanish race series, the racers will undergo a one-day official IRTA test. This test is crucial in developing the motorbike by conducting various experiments to address the issues that arose in the first four series of this season.

"After the race, we will have one day of testing here in Jerez, which will be very important to address all aspects where we did not have time to perfect during the race weekend," concluded Bastianini.

The MotoGP race series in Spain at Jerez will take place on April 26-28, 2024. The sprint race will roll out on Saturday starting at 8:00 PM WIB, covering 12 rounds. The main race will take place on Sunday starting at 7:00 PM WIB, covering 25 rounds.