“By allowing Marc to pass, Pecco could have sidestepped this fall altogether.”
Jorge Lorenzo has placed the blame on Francesco Bagnaia for the incident that occurred with Marc Marquez during the Portuguese MotoGP. He insists that Bagnaia should have allowed his rival to overtake.
Although Race Direction categorized the collision as a racing incident, both riders, including Lorenzo, now agree with this assessment. Marquez, however, was clear in stating that Bagnaia’s maneuver was only marginally acceptable.
The incident unfolded as Bagnaia attempted to make a move on the inside of Marquez in Portimao, battling for the fifth position. This aggressive move resulted in both riders crashing out of the race.
Bagnaia did not restart, and Marquez concluded the race in 16th place.
“Marc is known for his aggressive riding style, but at this particular moment, in my opinion, he is not to blame,” Lorenzo explained to Sky.
“Because the rider overtaking the one in front does not have a complete 360° view of the situation. On the other hand, the rider behind, in this case Bagnaia, could clearly see Marquez’s intention, which was to return to the racing line.
“So, in this instance, I believe that Pecco was the one who could have prevented the crash simply by allowing Marc to pass in that corner ahead of him and position himself further up the track.”
“Instead, Bagnaia spotted a narrow gap, applied slightly more throttle than usual to try to slip through, but the space was tight, and both riders aimed to be first into that corner, resulting in contact.
“In my view, Marc is not to blame in this situation, and Bagnaia could have steered clear of the collision.
“However, it’s fair not to penalize either of them.”
When asked if Bagnaia should have faced penalties, Lorenzo responded, “No, but if Pecco had conceded to Marc’s overtake to try again later, in my view, there would have been no crash.”
Jorge Martin emerged as the major gainer from the incident, clinching victory at the Portuguese MotoGP and now leading the standings after two rounds.
Lorenzo, however, emphasized that Bagnaia and Marquez will remain contenders in the championship battle.
“Yes, absolutely. It’s only been two races, and there’s a long way to go,” Lorenzo affirmed.
“Pecco has shown composure and serenity. Perhaps he made some errors, like on Saturday with that braking error that cost him the win, and a slight miscalculation of risk in the move with Marquez.
“Yet, Pecco continues to display the qualities of a great champion, a rider with calmness and strategic thinking. On the other hand, Marc is adapting well to Ducati, which is no small feat.
“He is using the 2023 bike, which puts him at a slight disadvantage, but he seems to be finding his groove and increasing his pace.
“Therefore, in my view, Pecco and Marc will remain among the top contenders for the world championship.”
JORGE LORENZO BELIEVES ENEA BASTIANINI WILL CHALLENGE
Lorenzo also voiced his support for Enea Bastianini, the factory Ducati teammate of Bagnaia, in his bid for the championship.
Bastianini faced a challenging debut season with Ducati due to an injury, but during the weekend in Portimao, he secured pole position, showcasing his undeniable talent.
“Enea had a very tough break last year with that incident involving Marquez, where Marc’s actions were to blame as they resulted in a serious injury to Enea, completely disrupting his championship,” Lorenzo recalled. “Additionally, Enea wasn’t satisfied with the bike from last year.
“Now, he’s made a remarkable recovery, in perfect physical form, and with a bike that suits him better. We are witnessing the return of a competitive Enea.
“Perhaps he hasn’t yet fully revealed his potential in the latter part of races, where he undoubtedly shines, but as he gradually gains confidence, we’ll see the emergence of a talented Bastianini who will contend for victories and certainly vie for the world championship.”
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