MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team admitted that adverse weather conditions on Friday had a direct impact on his performance in the MotoGP Brazil 2026 Sprint, particularly in qualifying where track position proved decisive.
Limited dry running during Friday’s sessions prevented teams from properly evaluating different setup configurations. As a result, Bagnaia entered Saturday with two Desmosedici machines featuring different setups, forcing a strategic compromise ahead of Q2.
The Italian selected his preferred bike for qualifying, but a crash on his first flying lap eliminated that option. He was then forced to continue with his second machine, which offered less rear grip—an essential factor at the Goiania circuit, where traction plays a critical role in lap time performance.
“Honestly, it was quite intense. This morning we worked very well, but we were a bit unlucky having two different bikes in the garage because yesterday we didn’t have time to test setups,” Bagnaia told MotoGP.com.
He explained that losing his primary bike significantly reduced his competitiveness, while a cancelled lap due to a yellow flag—one he stated he did not see—further compromised his grid position, leaving him 11th on the starting order.
“After the crash, I was left with the second bike, which had less grip, and on this track you really need grip. So I struggled quite a bit in qualifying,” he added.
Starting from the fourth row, Bagnaia faced additional challenges in the Sprint race, where overtaking opportunities were limited by the circuit layout. He spent much of the race stuck behind Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing, who effectively defended his position by closing off racing lines.
“On this track it’s quite difficult to overtake, and I got stuck behind Alex Marquez, who was closing a lot of lines. I never had the chance to pass him,” Bagnaia explained.
Despite the outcome, Bagnaia emphasised that the underlying pace of the Ducati package remained highly competitive. He acknowledged that his qualifying error ultimately cost him a realistic opportunity to fight for a podium finish in the Sprint.
“The potential was there, and it’s a shame I didn’t put everything together to finish on the podium, which was possible today,” he said.
Bagnaia crossed the line in eighth position, marking his best result of the 2026 MotoGP season so far after finishing ninth in both races in Thailand. However, the result does not fully reflect the performance potential demonstrated throughout the weekend.
With the main race still to come, Bagnaia and Ducati will aim to capitalise on their competitive pace while addressing the setup limitations caused by disrupted track time. MotoGP Brazil 2026 now becomes a critical opportunity for recovery as the championship battle continues to evolve.
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