FRANCESCO Bagnaia was the fastest in the free practice session (free practice) 1 MotoGP Malaysia 2024 at the Sepang Circuit, Friday (1/11/2024).
The Ducati Lenovo racer recorded a time of 1 minute 59.337 seconds while in second place was Maverick Vinales from Aprilia Factory. Vinales was the only racer who was one second behind Bagnaia – the defending champion.
Marco Bezzecchi is in third place after following in the footsteps of Bagnaia and Vinales. He had time to switch to soft front tires (soft) and back medium for the sake of doing time-attack at the last minute.
Standings leader Jorge Martin had to settle for sixth. He continues to use the same medium front and hard rear tyres, while some riders switched to the new medium/hard tyres,
Meanwhile, a surprising performance was shown by Andrea Iannone who immediately took ninth place after not having raced in MotoGP for five years.
Miguel Oliveira is still absent due to a right wrist fracture at Mandalika and was replaced at trackhouse by Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori.
So far, Jorge Martin is 17 points ahead of Francesco Bagnaia with two races and 64 points still up for grabs.
However, Martin has only won 5 times, while Bagnaia is ahead with 9 wins, including at the Thai GP last week. Both of them are competing hard in the hunt for the MotoGP world title.
On the other hand, the status of the final MotoGP match at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia, is still in doubt whether it will be held due to extreme flooding.
The final series of the 2024 MotoGP is scheduled to take place on November 15-17 or two weeks after the Malaysian MotoGP.
If the Valencia Circuit really cannot be used, it is not impossible that the throne will be decided at Sepang. (Crash/Ndf/P-3)
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**Interview with Francesco Bagnaia on His Performance in Malaysia**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Francesco! Congratulations on winning the Best Take Off award in Malaysia. Can you share how you felt during the race?
**Bagnaia:** Thank you! It was an incredible experience. Starting from pole position always gives you a boost of confidence, and I felt ready to defend my spot in the first corner.
**Interviewer:** You set the fastest time during the free practice sessions. What do you think has been the key to your speed at the Sepang Circuit?
**Bagnaia:** The bike was just working perfectly. We’ve made some great adjustments over the last few races, and I felt really comfortable pushing the limits. It’s also about the teamwork—we’ve all been working hard to improve our setup.
**Interviewer:** It looks like Maverick Vinales was just a second behind you. Did his presence motivate you during the practice sessions?
**Bagnaia:** Absolutely! Having strong competitors like Maverick means you have to give your best every lap. It pushes you to find extra tenths of a second, and that’s what the top teams do. I’ve always admired his driving style, so it’s great to race closely with him.
**Interviewer:** Following practice, how do you plan to approach the upcoming races this season?
**Bagnaia:** I’ll keep the same focus—consistent improvements and adapting to the track conditions. Each race is unique, and we’ll be ready for whatever challenge comes our way.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, what does this award mean for you as the defending champion?
**Bagnaia:** It’s a great feeling. Winning awards like Best Take Off is a reminder of how important the start and early race strategy are in MotoGP. I’m proud to carry this momentum forward!
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Francesco, and best of luck for the rest of the season!
**Bagnaia:** Thank you! I appreciate it.
