Francesco Bagnaia Outpaces Marc Marquez in Qatar GP Practice Sessions

Francesco Bagnaia exhibited notable improvement during Qatar GP practice, outpacing teammate Marc Marquez. After a boost from his recent win, he quickly qualified for Q2, demonstrating enhanced confidence and speed. Despite being slightly faster than Marquez, he recognizes the competitive landscape remains intense, particularly with championship leader Alex Marquez in contention.

Francesco Bagnaia has positively advanced his standing against teammate Marc Marquez during the Qatar Grand Prix practice sessions. After a challenging season start, his recent victory at the Americas Grand Prix has boosted his confidence, positioning him to contend strongly this season against Marquez.

During the first practice session, Bagnaia quickly achieved his best Friday performance of the season. His swift adaptation on the track enabled him to qualify directly for Q2. This came after narrowly missing a top 10 finish in Thailand, which he almost repeated at the races in Argentina and the USA.

Bagnaia’s performance was psychologically significant, as he outpaced Marquez slightly during practice. Although Marquez was over half a second quicker in the earlier Free Practice 1, Bagnaia demonstrated improved confidence and speed compared to previous Fridays.

Following an encouraging practice day, Bagnaia expressed optimism about the possibility of a competitive race this weekend, implying a two-way contest between factory Ducatis despite Alex Marquez leading the championship.

Despite Franco Morbidelli’s impressive speed that placed him ahead of Bagnaia and Marquez, both factory riders opted to forgo a final run on soft tires, indicating strong performance levels. Bagnaia noted that understanding their racing pace was complex due to tire testing but felt he was very close to the top.

Although Bagnaia’s victory in the USA was influenced by Marquez’s crash, this practice in Qatar marked a vital breakthrough for him, as he aims to consistently perform well and secure top spots in qualifying.

Marquez acknowledged that Qatar could present opportunities for Bagnaia, especially given historical performance data at this circuit favoring Bagnaia and Alex Marquez.

In conclusion, Francesco Bagnaia has shown marked improvement in his performance following a fruitful practice session in Qatar, where he demonstrated the potential to challenge Marc Marquez competitively. His confidence, bolstered by a recent victory, indicates a promising trajectory for the upcoming races. As both riders prepare for a potentially thrilling contest, Bagnaia’s progress highlights the evolving dynamics within the MotoGP arena this season.

Original Source: www.motorsport.com