Marco Bezzecchi says brake paღd knock-back was the reason he was🥃 almost involved in a “disaster” with Francesco Bagnaia in the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix sprint.

The VR46 rider was♕ running in the battle for the victory in the first half of the sprint having retaken second from Pedro Acosta in the opening laps.

But Bezzecchi’s podium hopes vanished when he outbrake🍎d himself going into Turn 10 on lap seven 😼of 13 and almost wiped out race leader Bagnaia.

Only inches separated the two Ducatis as Bezzecchi ran off track, though he was able ওto rejoin to finish in fourth.

Bezzecchi says he has ⛄experienced shaking on his GP23 all weekend at Mandalika, but when it happened in the𒐪 sprint it knocked his brake pads back for the first time - something he wasn’t expecting.

“Was a 😼big risk,” Bezzecchi said of that moment with Bagnaꦛia.

“Honestly, I didn’t expeꦑct it at all because I took a wobble i💮n the change of direction before the straight.

“But this weekend, to be honest, I took it like one ☂la🥀p yes, one lap no, one lap yes for all the sessions. And was always ok.

“But in t🎀he sprint my brake pads opened, so this is why I🍸 braked, released, and braked.

“But because I never had this issu🗹e during the weekend, I didn’t expect it at all.

“So, I braked strong. If not, I would have braked earlier an♚d save mys✤elf.

“Fo🃏rtunately I was able to avoid disaster. It’s a shame, but a fourth place anyway is positive and we have another 🔴possibility tomorrow.”

Bagnaia says he could hear Bezzecchi coming towards the rear of his factor♐y Ducati in the moment and braced himself for impact.

“Before, I hea🥃rd it, and then I saw it,” the sprint winner said.

“So, when I started to hear it, I started to make ꧙the face of the one chosen to be hit.

“But then I saw him going from the outside, he had good reflexes. 🐭It’s very easy to lock the front there and it was ve🅰ry close.”