BAGNAIA TARGETS A PODIUM IN SEPANG, HIS BEST CHANCE FOR A STRONG DUCATI FAREWELL

Francesco Bagnaia is hoping Sepang can offer a welcome change of fortunes after a difficult MotoGP season. The Ducati rider has gone nine consecutive race weekends without a podium, despite saying after February’s pre-season test at the Malaysian circuit that he could “ride again the way I want.” His last Grand Prix podium came in June at the Czech round, where he finished third after winning the sprint. Since then, he has finished only three of the last eight Grands Prix, with no result better than sixth.

Sepang is one of Bagnaia’s favourite tracks, and he arrives with good memories of last year’s event, when he took pole position and won the sprint. He has also won two of the last four Malaysian Grands Prix. Last year, he was running strongly in the race before a rear-tyre problem forced him to retire. With his time as a factory Ducati rider drawing to a close before he joins Aprilia next year, he sees this weekend as his most realistic chance to leave the team on a high.

“The technical situation is more or less the same – I’m not quite on the mark; I don’t have a feel for this bike, but the tests went well,” Bagnaia said. He plans to take a more aggressive approach: “I’ll take a bit more of a risk because I really want to enjoy myself here.” He added that he wants to reach the podium and “fight for the positions I deserve,” rather than struggle to ride the bike.

Conditions will differ from those at the pre-season test. Bagnaia noted that the tyres have changed and said he was interested to see how the new medium compound performs. The asphalt on the main straight has also been resurfaced. Even so, he sees the weekend as “my best opportunity to have fun,” with conditions looking favourable apart from Friday afternoon.

Attention is also turning to the following round in Qatar, where most riders are reportedly in favour of cancelling the event. The schedule is tight: the first appointments at Lusail are due just four days after the Sepang race. Bagnaia declined to weigh in on the uncertainty, saying: “I don’t want to comment on the subject. We’ll wait until the last moment.”