Bagnaia Determined to Rebound at Mugello – “If We Can’t Compete Here, That’s a Problem”
Heading into Mugello amid a challenging period, Francesco Bagnaia is placing special emphasis on performing at his home Grand Prix. While he managed to show strength on Sunday at Aragón, he stresses that achieving immediate results in front of his home fans this weekend is even more critical. Calling Mugello a circuit where “magical things happen,” Bagnaia emphasized that failing to battle with the fastest, like Marc Márquez, would be problematic. Though he admits he doesn’t currently envision a double win, he acknowledges the strength of Márquez and Álex Márquez and is approaching the weekend with the same methodical, step-by-step mindset he used in Aragón.
Francesco Bagnaia:
“Coming into Mugello while still struggling is actually a positive. We were competitive on Sunday in Aragón, but the key now is delivering results here immediately. I’ll give it everything—I’m racing at home, with a lot of fans behind me. Mugello is a place where magical things happen, and I want to at least be fighting for the win alongside the fastest, like Marc. If we can’t show our competitiveness here, that’s a real problem.”
“I don’t yet have a clear picture of a double win this weekend. I know how strong Marc and Álex are, so I want to approach each session like we did in Aragón—step by step.”
On Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s Move to MotoGP:
“I think the timing is right for Toprak’s career. However, the conditions are very different—from tires to chassis stiffness. I expect he’ll struggle in his first year adapting his unique riding style to MotoGP. Still, it’s exciting to have a rider like him joining the series.”
Testing, Pressure, and Friday Strategy:
“There’s pressure to perform in front of fans at Mugello, but it’s also a good environment. We might use some of the test components starting Friday, but test and race conditions are different, so it’s unclear if we’ll commit to them.”
Reflections from Aragón and Ongoing Challenges:
“Even though I took third on Sunday in Aragón, Marc was way ahead and I couldn’t pass Álex. So in many ways, we’re in the same position we were at the season’s start. Restarting is important, and doing it at Mugello is even more so.”
Struggles in Sprint Races:
“Scoring points in every condition is key, and the race weekend really starts on Saturday. But if you look back to 2023, I’ve won few sprint races. It’s an area I need to improve—maybe due to the different approach required in those races.”
Key to Mugello: Traction Over Top Speed
“Unlike Aragón, Mugello has a long straight, so slipstreaming can make overtaking easier. Top speed is important, sure, but traction when exiting corners is even more critical here.”
Brake Disc Choices:
“Using 355mm discs at Mugello might be difficult due to potentially low temperatures. We’ll probably try the lighter 340mm discs first. Braking is important here, but not as crucial as at other tracks.”