At the Circuit of the Americas, Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP champion, faced a tense Friday practice as he battled to secure a direct entry into Q2 for the US Grand Prix.
For most of the session, Bagnaia looked comfortable on worn Michelin tyres, setting a strong pace that suggested excellent long-run potential. However, as rivals switched to fresh soft tyres for time attacks, Bagnaia slipped to 15th with just two minutes remaining.
A last-minute effort lifted him into eighth place, confirming his spot in Q2. "If I was out of the top there, I was making a mess and making a disaster in the garage because we were competitive all day," Bagnaia said, highlighting the high stakes of the session.
Source: Crash.net
Bagnaia acknowledged a minor technical issue during his time attack that limited the bike’s performance on new tyres. Despite this, he remained confident in his pace over longer runs. "This little problem was limiting the riding a bit," he explained, noting that his race simulation speed remained strong even with tricky wind and high temperatures.
The Italian’s consistent performance on used tyres suggests the Ducati GP24 package is effective over race distance, a key factor for Sunday’s main event. Turning that consistency into a fast single lap will be crucial in qualifying and the sprint race.
Bagnaia remains cautious, aware that a promising start does not always translate into consistent race results. After finishing ninth at the Thailand Grand Prix and crashing in Brazil while running 11th, he is focused on maintaining momentum. "Feet on the ground and see if I can do a good qualifying to start more at the front, and fight for it," he said.
The team now turns its attention to fine-tuning the bike and addressing the technical issue to ensure Bagnaia can maximize his performance throughout the weekend.
