BAGNAIA SAYS HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ARAGON HEAT BEFORE WEEKEND

Pecco Bagnaia arrived in Aragon with a moment of nerves, even though the Italian is approaching the MotorLand weekend with a clearer sense of what Ducati can do. Speaking to a small media group on Thursday, the two-time MotoGP champion explained that his concern began when he checked the forecast. “When I arrived here on Tuesday, I had some fear,” Bagnaia said. “I looked at the weather forecast and it said it would be at least 38 and up to 42 degrees Celsius. Then I found out the temperatures were a bit lower. If you race here at 42 degrees, it can become a problem.”

Bagnaia also contrasted the situation with the most recent outing at Silverstone, where he felt far from his usual level. After a Sprint that left him 17th and a strange slip in the Grand Prix from a similar position, he returned with no points. Heading into Aragon, he stressed that the weekend should be viewed differently. “This is a whole different story than in Silverstone, and I’m sure Ducati has much more potential,” he said.

According to Bagnaia, the key factors are grip conditions and the circuit layout. He pointed out that Aragon’s characteristics resemble Brno, and that it is one of the few tracks where he feels comfortable riding counter-clockwise. “The grip level and the track layout,” he said. “Here it’s more like Brno. And it’s the only track where you ride counter-clockwise that I feel good on. I struggle with tight corners, but here there are many long and fast left-hand corners, and that suits me better.”

Bagnaia acknowledged that expectations must remain grounded. While he finished third in Aragon last year behind Ducati teammates Marc and Alex Marquez, he said the previous weekend’s struggles still matter. “At the same time, I have to be realistic,” he emphasized. “Last weekend was a disaster. Last year I had big difficulties in the braking phase, but the grip wasn’t bad—this year it’s exactly the other way around. I’d say the top five is a realistic goal.”

He also noted positive personnel news: after an accident, his crew chief Cristian Gabarrini is back. Bagnaia cited Ducati’s grip level and lower tyre wear as reasons the team could be more competitive in Aragon, where he currently sits eighth in the standings with 143 points ahead of the next races.