Francesco Bagnaia reflected on his rollercoaster season in a conversation with SpeedWeek, from the anticipation of the championship kickoff to his triumphant victory at the Jerez GP.
“At the season opener, the excitement was palpable. We carried the momentum from our 2023 Championship finish into Qatar, where we executed flawlessly, controlling every turn and lap with precision.
It was a feeling I anticipated. However, what followed in Portimão and Austin caught me off guard. We encountered significant challenges during those Grand Prix events, and it’s imperative we find solutions.”
Addressing the concerns voiced by fellow Ducati riders regarding the GP24 version, Bagnaia clarified, “Certainly, there have been challenges.
The bike wasn’t fully prepared during testing, not even with used tires. The vibrations during the Qatar Sprint race were unbearable, a first for me. Surprisingly, I didn’t experience them during the longer race on Sunday.
This led us to believe we had found a way to manage the bike’s performance. However, Portimão brought forth intense vibrations, and in Austin, they occurred inconsistently, complicating our predictions.
Despite these hurdles, I firmly believe in the GP24’s potential; we just need a deeper understanding to unlock it.”
