MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team lost a crucial opportunity to evaluate a new technical modification after crashing early in Friday practice at the 2026 Spanish MotoGP in Jerez.
Bagnaia began the afternoon session with an updated package also used by Alex Marquez. However, just minutes into the session, he crashed under braking for Turn 1, destroying the bike and preventing further assessment of the upgrade.
“This afternoon I started with a modification that Alex also used, but unfortunately I immediately destroyed that bike and wasn’t able to test it as we should have,” Bagnaia told Sky Italia.
“It’s a shame because I think it could have helped us a lot, but we will try it again tomorrow.”
He explained that the incident occurred on his out lap when he had to brake more aggressively than expected while following Marquez, who was still building pace.
“It was the out lap, and I braked quite hard because Alex was in front. He was still increasing his speed, and I had to brake more aggressively,” he said.
“The front wasn’t ready and locked quite early, and I ended up crashing heavily in the gravel.”
After returning to the track on his second bike, Bagnaia managed to recover competitive pace despite running a less optimal setup. He ultimately finished sixth, securing direct progression to Qualifying 2.
“Even though I was using a bike that wasn’t ideal, I was able to match the pace of the fastest riders, and that’s important,” he added.
He also described the time attack phase as chaotic but emphasized that securing a Q2 position was critical for maintaining his weekend prospects.
Team-mate and reigning champion Marc Marquez finished just ahead in fourth, underlining Ducati’s competitiveness despite the disrupted session.
With the modification still largely untested, Saturday’s sessions will be crucial for Ducati to properly evaluate its potential. The effectiveness of that update could play a key role as the team looks to respond to its rivals during the remainder of the MotoGP Jerez 2026 weekend.
Baca Juga
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