Mandalika, a challenging weekend for Pecco Bagnaia: eighth in the Sprint but crashes out of the Grand Prix. Ivan Ortolá finishes sixth in a Moto2 race full of twists and turns.
A challenging weekend marked by technical difficulties, the search for the right feeling and a bitter ending in the main race. This is how the Indonesian Grand Prix came to an end for our Suomy Rider Francesco Bagnaia, whose positive sensations throughout the weekend failed to translate into a satisfying result, particularly in Sunday’s full-length race. At the Mandalika circuit, in a MotoGP race characterised by constant changes of pace and particularly demanding tyre management, our rider struggled to find the speed needed to compete with the frontrunners, although he still managed to secure eighth place in Saturday’s Sprint. Sunday’s race, however, ended prematurely after just a few laps following a crash, raising further questions about the Ducati’s behaviour and the work that needs to be done ahead of the next round.
Ivan Ortolá’s Moto2 weekend followed a different path. Our rider finished the Grand Prix in sixth place, matching the position he had secured in qualifying. Ivan nevertheless managed to score points in a race disrupted by an incident in the early stages, a red flag and a restart over a shortened distance of 14 laps. In a race that changed complexion several times, Ortolá remained in touch with the leading group during the opening stages before losing ground in the second half of the race.
SPRINT RACE
Francesco Bagnaia finished Saturday’s Indonesian Grand Prix Sprint Race in eighth place. Starting from tenth on the grid, the Ducati rider managed to gain two positions in a race in which the main issue remained the difficulty of bringing the tyres up to temperature. This problem was particularly evident in the opening stages, forcing Pecco to lose ground before he could find a more competitive pace.
The Italian rider explained that several laps were needed to bring the rear tyre into its optimal operating window. Once he found more grip, his pace became more consistent, but the time lost in the opening laps limited his chances of making up further positions. Eighth place therefore represents a modest result in a technical situation that continues to demand hard work and close attention from both the rider and the team.
“Our pace towards the end of the race wasn’t bad, but unfortunately I struggle in the early stages. That’s on me, because I’m not able to generate enough energy in the rear tyre, which only reached its operating temperature after seven laps. As a result, I lose a lot of time right from the start and, in a way, make life more difficult for myself. We’ve made some progress, but it’s still not enough. It’s true that we struggle in Sector 2, but unlike Marc, who did an excellent job, we haven’t been able to be as effective in the other sectors. We need to keep working to make another step forward ahead of tomorrow’s race.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Sprint Race 8°
RACE
Francesco Bagnaia’s Sunday ended in the most difficult way possible, with a crash bringing his Indonesian Grand Prix to an early conclusion. After an opening phase in which the Ducati rider was unable to find the desired pace, Pecco tried to push harder to make up ground, but lost the front and crashed at Turn 7(the same corner where he fell last year) forcing him to retire after just eight laps.
After the race, Bagnaia attributed his difficulties to a lack of speed and grip, two particularly important factors at a circuit like Mandalika, where maintaining corner speed and making the most of the available traction can make a significant difference. The Italian rider explained that he had tried to do more to close the gap, but ultimately pushed the bike beyond its limits.
The retirement was a bitter end to a weekend that, following his eighth-place finish in the Sprint, had still offered the possibility of scoring points in the main race. There is still work to be done to recover the feeling needed to compete at the front, particularly ahead of the next round in Australia, where the characteristics of the circuit could once again highlight some of the issues encountered in Indonesia.
For Francesco and the Ducati team, analysing the data collected at Mandalika and identifying solutions to improve the bike’s behaviour will be crucial, particularly in terms of grip and tyre management. As always, our Suomy Rider is ready to give everything he has to finish the championship on the strongest possible note.
“This weekend I lacked both speed and confidence. I was trying to follow Luca Marini, but it was clear that I didn’t have the pace to do so. When I tried to push a little harder, I crashed. The lack of rear grip is particularly noticeable at circuits like this, where being effective through the corners is extremely important. Unfortunately, we haven’t made the progress we were hoping for, but we’ll keep working ahead of the next race.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Race DNF
MOTO 2
A sixth-place finish after an intense and unpredictable race. That is how Ivan Ortolá’s Indonesian Grand Prix came to an end, following a Sunday in which the red flag and subsequent restart completely changed the course of the race. An incident at Turn 1 involving several riders forced race direction to stop the race before restarting it over a shortened distance of 14 laps.
At the restart, our Suomy Rider immediately joined the leading group. Running just behind the frontrunners, Ortolá tried to hold his position and remain in touch with the leaders, in a phase where any mistake could have compromised his result.
As the laps went by, however, the race took a different turn. Manuel González, the World Championship leader, managed to overtake Ortolá and progressively climb through the field. In the end, our rider crossed the finish line in fifth place.
The World Championship now heads to Australia from 23 to 25 October, where Ivan will have another opportunity to pursue his ambitions and fight for an even stronger result.
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #SuomyCrew during the weekend in Indonesia.
