Francesco Bagnaia produced a stable restoration within the Indonesian Grand Prix to maintain the stress on MotoGP world title rival Jorge Martin, regardless of having no reply to the Spaniard’s dominance.
The 2-time defending champion whittled Martin’s erstwhile 24 level benefit right down to 21 factors after consolidating his win in Saturday’s dash race with a run to 3rd within the full-length encounter.
After struggling initially to get his tyres as much as working temperature after a nasty begin, Bagnaia ran as little as seventh through the early phases and would spend a big portion of his race behind Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi’s that have been preventing for third.
Nonetheless, after rising to fourth within the closing phases when Bastianini crashed out with seven laps to go and Bezzecchi out-braked himself at Flip 10 moments later, Bagnaia picked off Morbidelli to seal his eleventh grand prix podium of the season.
As such, regardless of an emphatic lights-to-flag victory for primary rival Martin, it was Bagnaia who nonetheless got here away from the Lombok venue having scored extra factors throughout the weekend in whole.
“I attempted to do the identical begin as yesterday [the sprint race] however the clutch had a special response, so I acquired a wheelie and it began to spin,” Bagnaia mentioned.
“I didn’t lose many positions however after the beginning I used to be a bit too cautious within the first laps so I began to lose positions and I struggled to get them again.
“My tempo was very robust but it surely wasn’t sufficient to overhaul riders in entrance of me simply as a result of I want round 10 laps to overhaul Bez. I used to be battling traction. It was tough, however I’m completely happy as a result of after yesterday we nonetheless gained good factors.”
Enea Bastianini, Ducati Workforce
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Bastianini pushing for second led to crash
Bastianini was left to rue the missed alternative of a podium after crashing whereas in pursuit of Pedro Acosta in second place through the closing phases of the grand prix.
Having moved inside 1.5s of the Tech3 KTM rider with seven laps remaining, Bastianini low-sided off into the gravel at Flip 1.
Selecting up his a primary Sunday race DNF of the season, Bastianini admitted pushing to seize second place value him, following his personal poor begin.
“My goal was to win however Jorge was already fast from the beginning and I struggled lots at first with the rear tyre,” he mentioned. “I attempted my greatest to not lose any time however ultimately we misplaced a whole lot of time.
“I don’t learn about profitable the race, in all probability I believe it was attainable to get second place.
“For me with Pedro, it was exhausting as a result of he was sooner however possibly within the final two or three laps my tempo was very near him.
“I attempted to assault him, to battle however I arrived a bit sooner than the lap earlier than. I used to be pushing very exhausting, making an attempt to shut the hole to Pedro, however I arrived over the restrict.”
