Not only can Bagnaia count on factor♛y team-mate Enea Bastianini, who chose not to risk passing tಌhe #1 in last weekend’s Sepang Sprint, but also probably fellow VR46 Academy members Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini.

Bagnaia has always maintained he doesn’t want any other rider, including his team-mate, to sacrifice their own victo🐲ry chances.

However, he did 🌺concede that it might now be time to “do something together” with Bastianꦬini in practice.

That could presumably mean taking turns🅷 to tow each other a🀅round, so that they each benefit from a slipstream to improve their lap times.

“I was quite clear with the team and I 💖will say always that if Enea has the possibility to win, he’s in a situation that he needs to 🥂push,” Bagnaia said.

“B🅠ut for sure it will be OK to work during the sessions together maybe. I prefer always to ride alone but maybe it's the time to 🔯do something together.”

Martin meanw♈hile also has a 2023 race-winning team-mate in the form of Johann Zarco, who could assist in a similar way.

But for now, ꦬhe’s just focussed on “beating all of them.”

“I don't care about [who has the most Ducati] 'friends', I just care about myself,”𝓀 Martin said. “I feel that if I do my 100%, I can beat all of them.

“So I am focused on the weekend, focused on myself. And then if somebo♓dy will help him or not, I cannot control that. So I don't r🏅eally care.”

Bagnaia is 14 points🌠 ahead of Pramac rider Martin with 74 points still available over the next two weekends in Qatar and Valencia.