Francesco Bagnaia faced setup challenges in the practice sessions for the MotoGP Thai GP but still managed to secure a strong fourth-place finish. The Ducati rider found himself just 0.195 seconds behind Marc Márquez, who set a new lap record at the Buriram circuit. Despite initial difficulties with his bike’s configuration, Bagnaia showed resilience, ultimately finding his rhythm and confidence on the track.
Reflecting on the day, the reigning champion shared his experience of navigating a challenging setup that affected his performance, especially in the afternoon session. Bagnaia noted that one of his two bikes wasn’t performing as expected, which forced him to experiment with different adjustments to adapt. However, these adjustments didn’t fully solve the issues, which led to some frustration. “In the morning, I felt good, but in the afternoon, as soon as I tried a different setup, the bike just wasn’t working well. I had to stop and make some adjustments, but adapting to the setup changes was tough,” he explained. Fortunately, before the time attack, the team found a direction that improved performance, enabling Bagnaia to deliver a solid lap.
Bagnaia’s efforts paid off, as he was able to match the top pace despite not managing a flawless lap. He remarked on his readiness and quick adaptation, describing the day as ultimately productive. “Going into the time attack, the bike felt better again after we changed direction. Though my lap wasn’t perfect, I was still able to be fast, making it a positive Friday overall,” he concluded, expressing satisfaction with his pace despite the earlier obstacles.
While Bagnaia’s teammate, Enea Bastianini, reported issues with braking, Bagnaia himself faced no such problems. “For me, braking is not an issue,” he clarified. “I can brake very hard, and the data supports that. My main challenge was turn 4, and Sector 3 wasn’t my best, but braking is strong.” His confidence in his braking ability shows his focus is now on fine-tuning specific areas of the track.
With adjustments in progress and solid pace, Bagnaia looks poised to refine his performance further as the weekend continues. His determination to overcome setup challenges is a testament to his experience and skill, suggesting he’s ready to fight for top positions in the upcoming races.