Pecco Bagnaia gets the podium in the first MotoGP round 2021. In the final, he has to give up the head of the group due to the deterioration of the rear tire
Pecco Bagnaia led most of the race, but in the final laps, he had to give way to Vinales and Zarco. However, the new MotoGP season begins with an excellent podium for the new Ducati rider. The attempt to close the spaces on Vinales’ Yamaha is worthwhile, but the deterioration of the tire didn’t allow him to win. “I tried everything to keep him behind. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong strategy and I pushed right away. In the last 7 laps, I struggled with the rear tire. I thought I could keep the pace until the end, but the rear right tire was badly injured. First race with the team, I come from a difficult 2020 mid-season. I’m happy to start over like this”.
The next strategy
The podium in Qatar erases the bad memories of the last season. “Lots of crashes and mistakes last season, so it was important to improve that aspect. We’ll see on other tracks as well. Driving without taking too many risks is essential to be able to win. Looking at Mir and Morbidelli, I think this is fundamental”. Important points to plan a World Championship, considering that in seven days we will return to racing in Losail. The strategy won’t be too different. “I’m afraid that if you start managing more, you have to use the rear tire a lot to overtake. I think this step is right if the conditions were like yesterday, with less wind and 7 ° C more. We decided not to change the bike, the right choice, but going below 1’56 “was difficult towards the end”.
Challenge with Yamaha and Suzuki
A bit of bitterness for the lack of victory remains, but you have to look at the positives. “I cannot be disappointed. I must be happy with the work we have done, also thanks to my athletic trainer. Now it is too early to say, we will see in a more complicated situation how it will be. I could have dropped the pace a bit, but I didn’t give up and this is what I changed “. How much do Suzuki and Yamaha worry about the race for the MotoGP title? “In this case, our engine helped, but I tried to change my driving style and we came back fast. There are tracks where they will be favorites but also tracks like Misano where the rubber does not drop and we will have an advantage. We will see in Portimao, where we struggled a little more last year. But I believe we will be strong there too”.