MotoGP Assen: Francesco Bagnaia: “I was scared” after P1, turnaround “is the biggest I’ve ever had”
Competitive all season, Bagnaia was unusually out of sorts during Pr🅘actice 1 for the Dutch MotoGP as he was struggling to stay on-track at different periods.
Bagnaia went off on four occasions, the last of which🧜 led to him sho﷽wing huge frustration whilst sitting aboard his machine.
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A൲fter returning to pit lane on separaಞte occasions, Bagnaia was visibly concerned as he and the factory Ducati team failed to address the issues.
Practice 2 started with the wo🎃rld champion still struggling, however, huge breakthroughs were made as th💮e session went on, which is why the Italian was smiling when track action was over.
"I was quit🥀e scared this morning because the bike wasn’t working," said Bagnaia when speaking to . "I was there fighting with it and it was shaking like crazy.
"It was difficult to remain seated on the bike but we worked well this afternoon and we did, maybe tܫhe biggest step in front I’ve ever had.
"I’m so happy, my t𓂃eam has done an incredible job. What I asked for they gave to me. We improved a lot. In terms of pace we were very competitive.
"In time attack we can improve something but I’m happy. It’s very difficult to choose a tyre rigꦬht now. All the three front tyres are not what I was expecting and the rear tyre is more slippery than last year."
Although Ba🐎gnaia was still playing catch up in terms of lap times come the end of the session compared to fellow Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi, the steps made, particularly in race trim showed once again why he should be in contention for victory.
Pressed further on the issues he was facing, Bagnaia stated: "In the morning I was struggling a lot. We mana🥀ged to finish 12th without a time attack but doing that lap ti♑me was difficult.
"When I started in the afternoon I was struggling a lot in the same way. But then ജwe started making big steps with the bike. Not little ad🏅justments. It was big differences."
