Fastest in training, pole position with lap record, victory in the sprint and Grand Prix. Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP record over the past three days reads like a world champion. With his latest success in Assen, he is getting himself into absolute World Championship form and is also climbing to the top of the all-time Ducati list of MotoGP stars.
Perfect weekend with warm-up as a lucky charm
The Ducati rider did not remain completely undefeated at the Dutch TT. In the warm-up on Sunday morning, he did not manage to set the best time, and Bagnaia was classified fourth. But this turned out to be his lucky charm for the Grand Prix. “In terms of results, this was probably the best weekend of my MotoGP career,” said a beaming Bagnaia in the press conference after the race. “It’s not often that you manage to lead all the sessions, it’s just unbelievable. I’ve done it once before, in Moto2 2018.” Back then, too, he was only defeated in the warm-up.
The dress rehearsal for the race was not without its flaws. But this was precisely what the reigning world champion saw as a good omen. “I have to thank my team. I am very proud of the work we did. The feeling on the bike was simply indescribable.”
Bagnaia now has 23 Grand Prix victories in MotoGP, all with Ducati, of course. This puts him together with Casey Stoner is number 1 in Ducati history. In just one week he can be the sole leader in Germany. “That’s nice to know, but I don’t really look at these statistics until I’ve finished my career. But of course it’s great to see his name next to legends like Casey.”
Bagnaia in World Cup form – Jorge Martin: Must stop him as quickly as possible!
After the eighth race of the season in Assen, Bagnaia is only ten points behind his brand colleague Jorge Martin. Bagnaia has collected an incredible 99 points from the last three Grand Prix weekends – without the crash on the last lap of the sprint in Barcelona, he would have even collected the maximum number of points of 111. An absolutely frightening form for the competition.
Martin also acknowledges this in Assen without envy. “Pecco is simply on a different level at the moment, I can only congratulate him. More than second place was simply not possible for me here,” admitted the world championship leader. Now the MotoGP stars are heading straight to the Sachsenring, where the last race before the summer break is just a few days away. There, at least the signs of the past are looking better for Martin.
Bagnaia has not yet been able to take a MotoGP victory on the rollercoaster ride in Hohenstein-Ernstthal – Martin, on the other hand, won both the sprint and the Grand Prix last year. “He was simply unstoppable over the last three weekends. But that can change very quickly, so it’s good that we’re now travelling to Germany,” Martin said in a challenge. “We have to stop him as quickly as possible. Luckily, the Sachsenring is one of my favourite tracks.”
Third-placed Marc Marquez is also hoping to make up a lot of points on his rivals at the Sachsenring. But nothing went right for the Gresini driver in Assen. After a disastrous Saturday, the stewards also gave him a time penalty in the Grand Prix. Find out exactly what this means here!