Struggles with Setup Optimization
Despite securing a third-place finish, Francesco Bagnaia faced a challenging weekend at the Thailand GP, unable to match the pace of Marc and Álex Márquez. He spent significant time working on setup adjustments from Friday onward but was unable to find the ideal bike balance even on race day.
Tire selection also proved to be a concern. The hard tire used in practice did not perform as expected, and although he switched to a soft tire for the race, the setup was still not optimal. Bagnaia acknowledged that further setup refinements are necessary to compete with Marc Márquez’s dominant race pace.
Francesco Bagnaia’s Comments
“Honestly, I couldn’t get close enough to challenge the Márquez brothers. It was a tough weekend. On Friday, we were still working on unfinished test items, which delayed our setup process until Saturday morning.”
“Yesterday, we tried the hard tire, but it wasn’t the right choice. Today, I felt more comfortable on the soft tire, but the setup wasn’t ideal. Marc had complete control over the race and his rivals. While I did have some issues with tire pressure, his pace was simply outstanding. We’ll analyze his data and take some valuable insights from it.”
“The next race in Argentina is a strong track for both Marc and Álex. We need to get much closer. This time, I lost time in Sector 2 and Sector 3. I’m usually strong in hard braking zones like Turn 1 and Turn 12, but I was losing significant time in Turns 4, 5, and 6. Against Marc, I was especially far behind in Turn 7, and against Álex, I struggled in Turn 8.”
“Usually, a full fuel tank provides a better braking feel and allows for stronger stops, but today, it wasn’t enough. Álex was also strong on the brakes, but I lost a lot of time in Sector 3 and corner exits. The bike doesn’t feel exactly the same as the GP24, so we still need to improve that aspect. Given how tough this weekend was, I’m happy to have secured two podium finishes.”
“It was extremely hot behind Marc and Álex, but still manageable. Compared to India two years ago, where even a few laps on Friday felt unbearable, this was nothing.”
“Finishing third isn’t the result I wanted. However, last year, I learned the importance of maximizing results under any circumstance, so I kept that in mind today. Every time I tried to push for second place, I had issues with the front tire. Given the conditions, this was the best result possible. Next time, I’ll aim for the win or at least second place, but first, we need to lock in the bike’s setup.”
“Argentina and Austin are Marc’s strongholds, and many riders perform well in Argentina. Sometimes, a race weekend starts with a perfect feeling right from the first session. However, we haven’t raced in Argentina for a few years, so I don’t know what the grip levels will be like. The key is to avoid losing too many points in the next few races and head into Qatar and Jerez in a strong position.”
（Photo courtesy of michelin）