Bagnaia: Valencia win ‘the best way to celebrate Vale, this was a great day’

Francesco Bagnaia makes history along with Jorge Martin and Jack Miller as all three riders help secure the first ever all-Ducati MotoGP podium.

Bagnaia, who started the race from second, initially lost places to team-mate Miller and Suzuki’s Joan Mir.

However, the Italian quickly responded on laps three and five to get back ahead, before hunting down Martin for the lead. 

Although Bagnaia was visibly quicker in sectors one and four, the Italian had to wait until after mid-race distance before eventually getting past the new rookie of the year.

The Italian rider’s win comes at Valencia - a track where the 24 year-old had previously never stepped foot on the podium (in any class), which highlights why many believe the Ducati rider is already a favourite for the 2021 world championship. 

While winning his first race at Aragon was ‘special’, Bagnaia’s fourth premier class win came on the day where his ‘friend and big brother’, Valentino Rossi brought an end to his MotoGP career.

Like all other VR46 academy riders, Bagnaia was wearing a replica helmet in dedication to Rossi’s 2004 world championship with Yamaha, while calling his own Valencia win ‘the best way to celebrate Vale’: "Yeah, it was incredible! The only way possible to celebrate him was to win with this helmet and to have Vale [Rossi] on the top of the podium with me made me so happy. 

"This year we have grown and learned a lot. We are very competitive. For next year I think we are ready to start the season fighting for the world championship. 

"But now the only thing is to celebrate Vale and I would like to be there with him in his garage already. 

"Vale for us (academy riders) is a friend, a big brother and he helps us a lot every time. 

"Also for what he has done for us and what he is still doing for us everyday. It’s the minimum possible that I can do. 

"Yesterday I tried to help him in the qualifying, today he was with me after the race, so it was a great day for me."

During the post-race press conference, Martin was missing after feeling unwell, something that started late last night.

But despite that, the Spanish rider put together a stunning ride, and one that Bagnaia had to work hard to beat.

Bagnaia highlighted how strong the Spaniard was when speaking after the race, even though he felt his pace was superior throughout.

"The thing was; I knew that my pace was faster than Jorge’s [Martin]. But I didn’t want to take so much risk," added Bagnaia. 

"In turn two I was slow because I always crashed there. So I was doing it more slow and he was recovering every lap. 

"But, I was sure that this pace was very competitive and that it was enough to open a little gap. Also the braking everywhere except to turn was competitive. 

"Jorge did an incredible job in the first part of the race and was struggling in the first part to overtake him. But when I saw it was possible I just tried and then set my pace. 

"This one is one of the best victories this year because I started bad, riders overtook me, and then I had to be back. Finally I achieved this result on the day Vale finishes his career."