Bagnaia: Race completely changed when I saw Fabio out

The Ducati star turned a 2-point deficit to reigning champion Fabio Quartararo into a 14-point lead at Phillip Island on Sunday, after the Yamaha rider crashed out and Bagnaia completed the podium.

14-points with two rounds remaining might not sound too conclusive but given the likely strength of the Desmosedicis at Sepang and Valencia, Bagnaia has taken a big step towards the factory’s first MotoGP crown since Casey Stoner in 2007.

Bagnaia would be heading to Malaysia in an even stronger position had he landed a crushing 23-point blow on Quartararo by keeping the race lead on the final lap at Phillip Island.

But with Alex Rins and Marc Marquez ready to risk all for glory, Bagnaia opted for caution and didn’t retaliate when the pair dived underneath him on the final lap, crossing the just 0.224s from victory.

“My race completely changed when I see on the pit board that Fabio was out,” said Bagnaia.

“My objective today was to win, to be more in front in the championship. But when I was leading, I saw that Fabio was out in my pit board. So, I just tried to be smart because it was very difficult to open a gap today.

“On the last lap when they both overtook me in turn two, I said, ‘okay, if I see a possibility, I will take it. But I don't want to take any risk’.

“It was very easy to make mistakes today. In Turn 6 I was losing a lot of time because I was feeling that the front was closing every lap.

“I did too many mistakes this year, so it was important to be smart.

“They were more competitive than me in the last laps, so I just tried to be close to them because I knew that behind me there was a big group.”

Holeshot drama

Bagnaia had a nerve-wracking start to the race when, like Johann Zarco behind, he was unable to engage his front holeshot device as he pulled onto the front row.

Without the front lowering system, Bagnaia wheelied off the line and initially dropped to fifth, before swiftly attacking to claim third by the end of the opening lap.

“It’s something that you have to be prepared for, because it can happen,” he said of being unable to lower the front of the bike for the start. “It was a bit more dangerous without it, because your bike starts to wheelie and it’s more difficult to control.

“So, the front height device helps us a lot to be more careful on the start, and you start better. I was losing positions but I said, ‘I will take risks in the first lap to be again in the top three and then start to manage the tyres’.

Bagnaia: ‘Fabio is in a difficult moment’

While Bagnaia and third in the championship Aleix Espargaro have suffered one non-score each during the last three flyaway rounds, Quartararo has twice missed out and finished eighth in the other.

Sunday’s DNF came after an earlier scare at Turn 4 sent Quartararo down to 22nd.

“About Fabio, I don't know what is his situation because I’m not close to them,” Bagnaia said, when asked about his main rival. “For sure, he’s in a difficult moment.

“In qualifying he’s struggling more to be in the front row or top positions. So, I don't know what happened, but it’s quite clear that Yamaha is in this moment having a problem in the races.

“Maybe for the tyre, maybe for the [tyre] pressure, or because their engine is a bit slower than the others. I don't know, sincerely, what is happening.”

Stay calm and collect it

Quartararo’s woes mean that Bagnaia not only leads the MotoGP standings, for the first time in his career, but can wrap up the title if he outscores the Frenchman by 11 points this Sunday.

“If I start thinking about the pressure, it will put pressure on me, so I will not think about it,” Bagnaia said.

“Just be calm and do the weekend like we always do in these races after the summer break, working session by session and trying to be very prepared for the race.

"Then we'll see if it will be possible to be crowned there or in Valencia.

"Just be smart and be careful about everything, because it will be very important to finish the race and to be in front."

Although team-mate Jack Miller was taken out by Alex Marquez just before the halfway stage, Bagnaia - who was 91 points behind Quartararo after Sachsenring - led a train of five Ducatis across the finish line.