The reigning world champion loved an eventful early a part of the 12-lap dash as he battled again from being shuffled right down to fourth.
When KTM’s Brad Binder crashed out of the lead on lap seven, Bagnaia was launched into first place and appeared heading in the right direction to finish a dash win drought relationship again to the 2023 Austrian GP.
However at Flip 5 on the ultimate lap, he crashed and registered a 3rd dash DNF of the season.
Bagnaia known as the crash “curious” as he entered into Flip 5 slower than he had beforehand, suggesting that he was not overriding at that time.
“It seems like getting into slower [into a corner], with the identical braking [as before] could make you crash,” he stated.
“Usually, in regular situations it could actually’t occur. However right here, the place the grip stage is a catastrophe, it could actually occur.
“So, we have to analyse it, perceive it, be extra cautious in this sort of state of affairs for tomorrow as a result of the race is longer, hotter, and can be essential to complete.
“It’s already three weeks in a row that we’re actually robust for the dash race, however we’re not ending for issues or crashing.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce crash
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“So, we misplaced one other nice alternative. I used to be quickest, I used to be main, I used to be cruising until the chequered flag, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient.”
He added: “I used to be 100% targeted. I understand how to win, and it was my type of win as a result of I used to be controlling all the things completely.
“I had extra tyre, I had extra tempo, so I used to be doing all the things good. It’s very curious whenever you take a look at my knowledge; whenever you see the second of the crash, it’s actually unusual to see a crash in that type of state of affairs.
“However it was actually unusual immediately that each rider that was main crashed, so that is unusual and we have now to grasp for tomorrow.”
The injury being accomplished to Bagnaia’s 2024 title defence by Saturday malaise
Championship chief Jorge Martin struggled for tempo within the dash race – with the Pramac Ducati rider explaining that he overheated his rear tyre – and Bagnaia was heading in the right direction to chop down his 38-point deficit within the standings.
As an alternative, Bagnaia has dropped 44 factors adrift within the championship, whereas Martin has misplaced only one level to new second-placed standings occupant Marc Marquez.
One thing of a dash specialist within the first half of 2023, profitable 4 occasions and scoring 5 different Saturday podiums, Bagnaia hasn’t fared properly in 2024. The truth is, not since final yr’s Malaysian GP has Bagnaia had a dash podium.
In Qatar he may do not more than fourth and the identical once more in Portugal, after a mistake whereas comfortably main noticed him throw away one other podium.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
A tough Americas GP spherical noticed him come away with simply two factors from the dash there, whereas a collision within the Spanish GP dash meant he scored nothing.
At Le Mans, a difficulty together with his second bike (which he was compelled to race after crashing his primary GP24 in qualifying) compelled him to retire.
Against this, Martin has received three sprints, completed third in two extra and salvaged fourth from a tricky day in Barcelona. Marquez has had 4 dash second-place finishes from six rounds on the 2023-spec Ducati run by Gresini Racing.