Pecco Bagnaia ‘at the mercy of the Ducati’ before Brazil MotoGP crash

The bizarre trend of Francesco Bagnaia crashing whenever Marco Bezzecchi wins a MotoGP race was finally broken in Thailand, but returned in Brazil.

While Bezzecchi claimed another lights-to-flag victory for Aprilia, Bagnaia crashed from 11th place, where he had started, just before half distance in the shortened 23-lap race.

“Unfortunately, I felt quite uncomfortable in the race; I wasn't able to push, and I didn't have the right feeling,” Bagnaia told Sky Italia. “It was more complicated than yesterday, where I was stuck behind Alex [Marquez], but at least I was able to be more competitive.

“Today, I just didn't have it, I couldn't push, I was so much at the mercy of what the bike was doing that I fell down and crashed in the first turn without having done much."

Bagnaia added: “I was trying to survive, but I still crashed. Maybe I didn't understand the conditions well, and I was struggling to stay on the bike.

“The grip was very low, I didn't understand the conditions. I have to improve myself because in FP2 I was in the top positions, even in the warm-up.

“It's strange that I then struggled so much in the Sprint and the race. The problems are braking and corner entry.”

Despite encouraging winter testing form on the latest factory Ducati, the former double MotoGP champion has yet to finish higher than eighth across the opening four races this season.

"We're really trying hard. Sooner or later, we'll definitely get there, we'll get back to where we need to be, but we need to rebuild our speed, and it's not an easy path,” he said.

“Unfortunately, last year I lost a lot, this year I was able to be competitive in testing, but not in the first races.”

While team-mate Marc Marquez won the Brazilian Sprint and later battled Fabio di Giannantonio for the final podium place in the grand prix, fellow GP26 riders Bagnaia and Alex Marquez continue to struggle.

"I feel limited in my riding, I can't express everything I think I always did until '24, or in the race in Japan last year,” Bagnaia said.

“And apart from that, it's a great battle in qualifying every time I put on new tyres.

“So much so that in the Thailand tests I did the best time with the medium at the back, but in the race I couldn't push. Here with the soft I was really struggling.”

Bagnaia is expected to ride alongside new title leader Bezzecchi at Aprilia next season.