2023-04-17 00:10:42
Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi dropped to his knees and sought solace on a colleague’s shoulder when Pecco Bagnaia crashed while in the lead on lap seven of 20 laps at the Circuit of the Americas. There were no outbursts of anger in the Ducati box; instead of typical Italian emotions, sheer horror and dreadful calm prevailed.
Eventual winner Alex Rins (LCR Honda) didn’t let the world champion lose him in the first third of the race, but he didn’t put him under direct pressure when he fell. And yet Bagnaia crashed once more following his dominant victory in the sprint race on Saturday in the Grand Prix.
In the overall standings, the 26-year-old remains second despite this clear lap, but is now eleven points behind the leader Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Ducati), who claimed two sixth places in Texas.
“I don’t know what happened,” said the stunned Bagnaia. “I did 80 or 100 laps this weekend. In the race, when I was in control, I fell. I’m angry – but not at myself. Because I’m convinced that it wasn’t my fault. In Argentina I was on the limit, for sure. But something happened here. I’m not talking regarding a cold tyre, grain or wind – we need to understand what the bike did. It’s true, our bike is the best on the grid. But if I fall and I don’t know why, it doesn’t matter.”
“We lost 45 points over two GP weekends,” added the man with number 1. “I would prefer to be a tenth of a second slower and understand everything better. I feel invincible, like I can achieve anything. I was fast without taking crazy risks. I really hope that my team can help me. The potential of the GP23 is incredible, it’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden. Still, we need to understand what happened in those races.”
Results MotoGP Austin/USA (16.4.):
1. Alex Rins (E), Honda, 20 Lap 41:14.649 min
2. Luca Marini (I), Ducati, +3.498 sec
3. Fabio Quartararo (F), Yamaha, +4,936
4. Maverick Vinales (L), Aprilia, +8,318
5. Miguel Oliveira (P), Aprilia, +9,989
6. Marco Bezzecchi (I), Ducati, +12.049
7. Johann Zarco (F), Ducati, +12,242
8. Franco Morbidelli (I), Yamaha, +20.399
9. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +27.981
10. Augusto Fernández (E), KTM, +28.217
11. Michele Pirro (I), Ducati, +32,370
12. Jonas Folger (D), KTM, +1:08,065 min
13. Brad Binder (ZA), KTM, +1:23.012
– Stefan Bradl (D), Honda, 2 laps back
– Takaaki Nakagami (J), Honda, 9 laps back
– Joan Mir (E), Honda, 12 laps behind
– Pecco Bagnaia (I), Ducati, 13 Runden zurück
– Jack Miller (AUS), KTM, 14 laps back
– Raúl Fernández (E), Aprilia, 14 laps behind
– Aleix Espargaró (E), Aprilia, 1st lap not finished
– Jorge Martin (E), Ducati, 1st lap not finished
– Alex Márquez (E), Ducati, 1st lap not finished
Results MotoGP Sprint Austin/USA (15.4.):
1. Pecco Bagnaia (I), Ducati, 10 Runden in 20:35,270 mins
2. Alex Rins (E), Honda, +2,545 sec
3. Jorge Martin (E), Ducati, +4,706
4. Aleix Espargaró (E), Aprilia, +5.052
5. Brad Binder (ZA), KTM, +8,175
6. Marco Bezzecchi (I), Ducati, +8.877
7. Luca Marini (I), Ducati, +9,453
8. Miguel Oliveira (P), Aprilia, +10,768
9. Jack Miller (AUS), KTM, +12,448
10. Maverick Viñales (L), Aprilia, +12,739
11. Johann Zarco (F), Ducati, +14,251
12. Joan Mir (E), Honda, +14.988
13. Takaaki Nakagami (J), Honda, +15,592
14. Franco Morbidelli (I), Yamaha, +16.534
15. Raúl Fernández (L), Aprilia, +19,290
16. Augusto Fernández (E), KTM, +23.128
17. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +25.626
18. Stefan Bradl (D), Honda, +25,787
19. Fabio Quartararo (F), Yamaha, +27,169
20. Jonas Folger (D), KTM, +46,973
– Alex Márquez (E), Ducati, 4 laps behind
– Michele Pirro (I), Ducati, 5 laps behind
Championship status following 6 of 42 races:
1. Bezzecchi, 64 Punkte. 2. Bagnaia 53. 3. Rins 47. 4. Viñales 45. 5. Zarco 44. 6. Marini 38. 7. Quartararo 34. 8. Alex Márquez 33. 9. Binder 30. 10. Morbidelli 29. 11. Martin 29 12. Miller 26. 13. Aleix Espargaró 18. 14. Oliveira 16. 15. Augusto Fernández 14. 16. Di Giannantonio 13. 17. Nakagami 7. 18. Marc Márquez 7. 19. Mir 5. 20. Pirro 5. 21. Folger 4. 22. Raúl Fernández 2.
Constructors’ Championship:
1.Ducati, 103 Punkte. 2. Honda 54. 3. Aprilia 51. 4. KTM 49. 5. Yamaha 43.
Team World Cup:
1. Mooney VR46 Racing, 102 Punkte. 2. Prima Pramac 73. 3. Aprilia Racing 63. 4. Monster Energy Yamaha 63. 5. Ducati Lenovo 58. 6. Red Bull KTM 56. 7. LCR Honda 54. 8. Gresini Racing 46. 9. CryptoDATA RNF 18. 10. GASGAS Tech3 18. 11. Repsol Honda 12.
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#Crashed #Pecco #Bagnaia #blames #Ducati
