Malaysian MotoGP: 'Pressure’ beginning to mount for Francesco Bagnaia as first match point awaits at Sepang
After taking over the championship lead for the first time in his MotoGP career, Bagnaia could be crowned world cham𝓡pion at the same venue that 🍌saw him clinch the Moto2 title in 2018.
With 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fabio Quartararo crashing out for the second time in four races last weekend - was also the Yamaha rider’s third non-score in four rounds - and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Aleix Espargaro failing to take advantage in Phillip Island, Bagnaia’s lead in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:MotoGP standings is a comfortable 14 points.
With team-mate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jack Miller officially out of contention for the title and future team-mate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Enea Bastianini on the brink of being rul🐠ed out too, team orders, which have not been prevalent to this stage at Ducati could also be a factor in Sepang and Valencia if the title race reaches the season-finale - a race which was won by Bagnaia in 2021.
🐈Speaking ahead of the weekend, a calm-looking Bagnaia alluded to pressure finally starting to settle in.
The Italian said: "For sure the pressure is there. I’m starting to ꩲfeel the pressure but at this moment I’m quite happy and I know we did something really good this year.
"Still, we have tౠo finish the job and my main focus at the moment is on that.
"I feel more relaxed at this moment compared to 2018 but it’s something tha🙈t will totally change tomorrow or Sunday as you start to feel the pressure on race day."
Bagnaia credits Silverstone and Aragon MotoGP races for stunning recovery
If Bagnaia does hold onto his championship lead and take home the title, the Ducati rider would have done so by overhauling𓆉 the bigges🥂t ever points deficit.
91 points back heading into As💧sen, Bagnaia has gained a total of 105 poi𒉰nts on Quartararo, with the French rider scoring just 47 since that Grand Prix back in June.
"Sincerely, a race that gave to me a lot of motivation was Silverstone," said Bagnaia when discussi🍌ng the turning point in his season.
"I was really struggling all the weekend and was not competitive. In the race I did the 13th best lap but all൩ the weekend I just tried to be the most competitive as possible.
"Also, I was knowing that ꦯI wasn’t with the possibility to win but then we made the correct tyre choice and I started to learn from the others regarding what to do better in the race and finally we won.
"The key moment though was Aragon when I finish𓆏ed second on the podium and Fabio unfortunately had a crash.
"This was a moment where I gained a lot of points i🦹n a freak way because he 🍌didn’t finish the race."
