Ducati rider Bagnaia went toe-to-toe with eight instances world champion Marc Marquez in an exhilarating battle for victory within the 25-lap Jerez grand prix.
Bagnaia got here out on high by simply 0.372 seconds to attain his second grand prix win of the season to shut the hole to championship chief Jorge Martin – who crashed – to 17 factors.
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It got here after a troublesome run for Bagnaia following his Qatar GP win, with the Italian throwing away dash victory in Portugal to an error and scoring zero factors in the primary race after a collision with Marquez.
Then in America, Bagnaia struggled to eighth within the dash and fifth within the GP, earlier than getting taken out of the Jerez dash in a collision with Brad Binder and Marco Bezzecchi.
However after his Spanish GP win, Bagnaia’s mentor Rossi took purpose at his protégé’s doubters.
“These final sceptics, actually, I wish to perceive who they’re,” Rossi instructed Sky Italy at Jerez, per week on from his first World Endurance Championship podium at Imola.
“He was very upset about [Saturday], as a result of within the dash there are riders who run with out eager about others.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“He felt quick within the dry, he began [the Spanish GP] with conviction and did every part proper.
“The double overtaking on the surface in Flip 6 on the primary lap is creativeness, expertise and a bit of little bit of insanity.
“However then after Martin’s crash he would possibly as properly have been eager about the championship, as an alternative he wished to win. In case you can provide 10 to a race, I feel that is the case.”
Commenting additional on Bagnaia’s battle with Marquez – with whom Rossi has gone up in opposition to head-to-head on quite a few events – added: “Pecco was superb within the combat and instantly made Marquez perceive that he would not surrender even when Martin had fallen.
“The primary time he overtook him at Flip 9, however then he went a bit large and Pecco slipped again into 10.
“He gave him a pleasant entrance, the type Marquez often does, and made him perceive that he wished to win.
“These are necessary issues and ultimately he nonetheless had that little bit of margin that allowed him to go away, as a result of he was actually quick within the right-hand corners; it was a fantastic satisfaction.”