“It’s impressive witnessing the Ducati factory team resolve the issues to support Francesco Bagnaia’s victory in Qatar.”
The Ducati engineers have been lauded for their role in Francesco Bagnaia’s triumph at the season-opening Qatar MotoGP.
As the reigning champion, Bagnaia faced challenges after the sprint race, finding unexpected issues with his GP24.
However, overnight, his bike underwent an alternative setup that allowed him to navigate the longer race with ease, establishing an early lead for the championship.
“He was at a disadvantage after the sprint,” remarked Sylvain Guintoli on TNT Sports. “He was losing ground, significantly slower than Aleix Espargaro.
“But they analyzed the data and emerged ready to fight on Sunday.
“You have to commend Bagnaia; when the pressure mounts, he nails the start, executes a fantastic first lap, and races brilliantly.
“He impresses with his composure and flawless performance. Staying error-free in such situations is truly remarkable.”
Michael Laverty described it as a flawless display: “It was peerless. From lights out, no one could touch him.
“There was one overtake at Turn 4, but then he focused and found such a strong rhythm.
“Being out in front definitely had its advantages because your tires stay in the perfect temperature and pressure range.
“He didn’t make a single mistake. So smooth. It was a truly exceptional performance.”
Sylvain Guintoli credited Bagnaia’s team for their exceptional work: “It’s truly remarkable to see the Ducati factory team solving the problems, the puzzle, for the Sunday race. Once again.
“He faced difficulties this weekend. Yes, in winter testing, he was ahead of everyone.
“But until Saturday night, he was really struggling, lacking grip entirely towards the end of the sprint race.
“And yet here he is, with the same tires, solving problems and making it work over the race distance. This is why he’s a double world champion.”
KTM’s Brad Binder clinched second place ahead of Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin in Qatar.
“They did lose a few tenths of a second fighting each other,” Laverty remarked about Binder and Martin.
“They took wider lines, fighting to get back to the apex.
“They were both aggressive, wanting to challenge Pecco, but I still feel Pecco’s perfection… it seemed like he had everyone’s measure.
“He had more in reserve if he needed to respond.
“Brad is a fighter, he never gives up. Martin is a fighter, too. But sometimes they need to settle into a race to find their rhythm.”
Guintoli added, “It was like an arm wrestling match. They did lose time, falling behind Pecco due to that battle. They wanted to be right behind Pecco.”
Martin secured victory in Saturday’s sprint but struggled with chatter issues throughout the first round of 2024.
“He was really concerned, you could tell from his interviews and demeanor,” Guintoli noted.
“In the interview with Gino Borsoi on the grid, he seemed quite pessimistic about the long race due to the chatter problems [in the sprint] and since testing.
“They’ve been carrying this issue without a solution. He’ll be really pleased with the result after the doubts he had, despite winning the sprint.”
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