Malaysian MotoGP: 'Pressure’ beginning to mount for Francesco Bagnaia as first match point awaits at Sepang
After taking over the championship lead for th♌e first time in his MotoGP career, Bagnaia could be crowned world champion at the same venue that sa𒁃w him clinch the Moto2 title in 2018.
With 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fabio Quartararo crashing out for the second time in four races last weekend - was also the Yamaha rider’s third non-score in four rounds - and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Aleix Espargaro failing to take advantage in Phillip Island, Bagnaia’s lead in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:MotoGP standings is a comfortable 14 points.
With team-mate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jack Miller officially out of contention for the title and future team-mate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Enea Bastianini on theꩵ brink of being ruled out too, team orders, which have not been prevalent to this stage at Ducati could also be a factor in Sepang and Valencia if the title race reaches the season-finale - a race which was won bℱy Bagnaia in 2021.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, a calm-looking Bagnaia alluded ಌto pressure finally starting to settle 🍬in.
The Italian said: "For sure the pressure is there. I’m starting to feel the pressure butജ at this moment I’m quite happy and I know we did something really good this year.
"Still, we have to finish the job and my main focusℱ at the moment is on that.
"I feel 🐈more relaxed at this moment compared to 2018 but it’s something that will totally change tomorrow or🍸 Sunday as you start to feel the pressure on race day."
Bagnaia credits Silverstone and Aragon MotoGP races for stunning recovery
If Bagnaia does hold onto his championship lead and take home the title, the Ducati rider would have done so by overhaul༒ing the b💝iggest ever points deficit.
91 points back heading into Assen, Bagnaia has gained a total of 105ꦕ points on Quartararo, with the French rider scoring just 47 since that Grand Prix back in June.
"Sincerely, a race that gave to me a lot of motivation was Silverstone," sai😼d Bagnaia when discussing the turninಞg point in his season.
"I was really struggling all the weekend and was not ﷺcompetitive. In the race I did the 13th best lap but all the weekend I just tried to be the most competitive as possible.
"Also, I was knowing that I wasn’t with the possibility to win but then we made the correct tyre choice and I started to learn from the others regarding what to do better in the race and finally we w♛on.
"The key moment though was Aragon when I finished second on the podium and Fabio unfortunately had a crash.&nꩲbsp;
"This was a moment where I gained a lot of points in a freak way because he d🍷idn’t finish the race."
