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The first on-track encounter between Bagnaia and Marquez did not go in the best way and turned into a crash. Three laps to go, turn number 5: Marc tried to overtake, widened the trajectory, Pecco jumped back in and the two Ducatis made contact. Finishing on the ground. That was the end of the race and both were left empty-handed. Needless to say, you can imagine what the world champion's mood is like.
"I speak first about the race, which is the most important thing - said Bagnaia, a few hours after the incident - Unfortunately, on the bike I no longer had the sensations of yesterday and this morning, I struggled a bit. I thought I could go on the attack, but instead I couldn't be as fast as the front guys and I had to start riding being careful about different aspects. I tried to defend, but Acosta was clearly going faster than me. Then Marc tried to pass me, went long, closed his line and we touched. "
Did you talk to each other in Race Direction?
"Rightly we went together, we are two different riders with two different points of view, but we both agreed that there were no penalties. It makes me angry that I'm going home with zero points, but you have to move on."
Could that incident have been avoided?
"In the hairpins it's always difficult. I couldn't see him and there was no time for him to get the bike back up. It was complicated to avoid him, but the hit I took made me close the front end and there was nothing I could do. From my point of view, I didn't do anything risky."
Has the anger passed?
"I'm pissed off, I can't do anything about it. Like last year, I finished the second GP with a zero, and this time not because of me, but because of a racing incident. The championship is long, but I was hoping to be more consistent than in the past. We go to the next race to try to do the best, I like the track, but I will have to step it up because this weekend was a bit more complicated."
Does this weekend leave you with doubts?
"I don't have any doubts, I know my potential and I know that if I did well I wouldn't even be in that position. It went the way it went, I leave here with the desire to work better in Austin."
What was the problem today?
"I couldn't close the lines and I was losing so much in turns 4 or 5, two tenths every lap. I tried to make other lines to have the same corner speed as the riders ahead of me, but I was going wide. We have to figure out what happened. I also had some chattering problems, starting from lap 7, and I didn't expect it so early."
