sprint winner Marco Bezzecchi<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
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LapsMB72FD49PB6321m27.504s1m28.045s1m29.752s327.31228.03630.455427.13428.0530.404527.36928.10831.789628.42427.60929.824727.12227.68430.36827.21327.70830.063927.72427.83530.2221027.5527.50929.5021127.67327.76729.4771227.56827.78829.2651328.12828.4229.658Average pace1m27.560s1m27.880s1m30.064sPace difference-0.320s2.504s<\/p>\n
Bagnaia\u2019s average pace was 2.504s slower per lap than that of Aprilia\u2019s Bezzecchi, who had to make an overtake for the lead, as well as a recovery from an error on lap six of 13.<\/p>\n
For the first time in the sprint era, no Ducati rider featured on the podium, with VR46\u2019s Fabio Di Giannantonio the brand\u2019s leading competitor just off the rostrum in fifth.<\/p>\n
Riding the same GP25 as Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio was on average 2.184s quicker per lap than Bagnaia was. Bagnaia\u2019s average pace on Friday on a soft rear worked out at 1m27.950s, while in the sprint it was 1m30.064s.<\/p>\n
\u201cDifficult to accept\u201d continued struggles, says Bagnaia<\/p>\n
Bagnaia branded his sprint \u201chumiliating\u201d to Sky Sports Italy, as he battled stability issues across the 13-lap contest.<\/p>\n
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It is a situation that has been further magnified by his run to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix a few weeks ago on a bike he maintains is \u201ctheoretically\u201d the same.<\/p>\n
“Today’s sprint was quite humiliating, being there and not being able to fight, not being able to do anything, lapping two seconds slower than my own pace in practice,” he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking later, he added: \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to accept and disappointing, to me but also to the team, because we are working a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not understanding the situation well, honestly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot just me, but also them, because I don\u2019t want to say that we were strong like in Motegi, but we were competitive enough to finish in the top five.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThen, in qualifying, I started to feel strange, and then in the sprint race I was struggling a lot to be close, even close to my pace from the rest of the weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we are just trying to understand what is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bagnaia noted: “In the end, we came to the conclusion that it’s not a matter of set-up or electronics, but something else entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“So, we’re looking for what’s making the bike not work properly. But it’s something that’s beyond the team’s capabilities. We’re sort of nitpicking, and it’s never easy to find it.”<\/p>\n
In his debrief with the media on Saturday afternoon, Bagnaia also said he was sure team-mate Marc Marquez would have gotten onto the podium had he been present.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn the sprint, I was a passenger. That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to close the throttle several times to prevent the bike from shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Marc was here, he\u2019d probably be on the podium. But I can\u2019t get the bike to stop moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
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