MotoGP Assen: Francesco Bagnaia feared front tyre woes, “rear vibration” costs Marco Bezzecchi

After watchiꦕng a Ducati rider get the better of him for a third consecutive race, Bagnaia was peerless during෴ the Dutch MotoGP.
Bagnaia tried to take the lead at turn one initially, only for Brad Binder to stun the world champion with a late-braking manoeuvre befor🎶e Bagnaia made his race winning overtake two laps later.
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Despite Binder and Marco Bezzecchi both trying to reel him back in at differen⛄t stages, Bagnaia always had an answer en route to his sixth win of the season.
"I tried as soon as possible because of the front tyre temperature," said Bagnaia post-race. "When you are s🎶o close behind, it’s very easy to pick up the temperature and the front tyre was a bit too soft.
"I just tried to pu♚sh lap-by-lap, and when I saw that Bez was close - he closed the gap by three tenths in one lap - I tried to push a lot again and c🎐ontrol the gap.
"When I noticed in the last lap thaꦗt I started it with nine tenths [advantage] I was more calm.♓"
After swappin🐠g the soft rear tyre for a medium due to the Grand Prix being much longer, Bezzecchi didn’t quite have the same level of performance as the sprint.
However, that’s ൲not the reason heꦡ couldn’t challenge Bagnaia, as a problem with the rear of his machine was the cause.
Bezzecchi began by saying: "Very happy because this weekend we did a very good job. We have to be satisfied because I was leading every session, made the pole posꦅition which, in qualifying, I’m normally not very good at, and also won the sprint with a very good race.
"To make another podium is fantastic. I’m satꦺisfied because in the final part of the lap I had a probel with the bike that created a lot of nerves. I was really scared that I could lose the podium."
Asked what the exact issue waܫs, Bezzecchi claimed a vibration was limiting his ability ඣto carry speed in faster corners.
"When I finally got very close I had to try and to risk. I prepared the overta🎶ke after corner five and I exited very fast.
"Already into six I was leading before the braking. But then I pushed the gap a little bit to close [the gap] to Pecco and the♓n I started to have this vibration on the rear that was very strong.
⛎"I was very scared because I couldn’t lean the bik🦋e very far on fast corners."