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Bagnaia Expresses Frustration with MotoGP Race Direction After Practice Incident

Francesco Bagnaia, a key competitor for the Factory Ducati team, has voiced his strong discontent with MotoGP’s race direction following a contentious incident during Friday’s practice for the Thai Grand Prix. Bagnaia’s ability to secure an automatic entry into Q2 was jeopardized when he encountered fellow racer Franco Morbidelli on the racing line at Turn 5, forcing him to abandon his last-gasp attempt to qualify.

Bagnaia contends that the real setback came not from Morbidelli’s presence but from an erroneous call by race control that resulted in the cancellation of a fast lap he had recently completed. The Italian had posted an impressive lap time of 1m29.492s shortly before encountering Morbidelli, only to see it invalidated because it was recorded while yellow flags were displayed, indicating a caution period on the track.

Initially, it was believed that the yellow flags were prompted by Marco Bezzecchi’s crash on Turn 3. However, subsequent clarification revealed that Bagnaia had passed through Turn 3 well before Bezzecchi’s incident occurred. After the practice session, Bagnaia approached race control for an explanation, and while officials admitted to their mistake, they informed him that the lap time could not be reinstated. Consequently, Bagnaia was classified in 13th place and must now navigate Q1 to advance to the critical Q2 session.

“I’m more angry with race direction than Franco,” Bagnaia stated, reflecting on the situation. “They made a significant error today.” He recounted that race officials mistakenly displayed yellow flags from corner 3 to corner 8 without any crashes in those areas, acknowledging their oversight but maintaining that they could not rectify the consequences for his lap time.

“They said if we give you back the lap time, it could lead to more disputes over cancellations,” he explained. “If a rider had crashed, I would understand, as happened in Barcelona where I lost my pole position due to a yellow flag. But today was different.”

The Thai Grand Prix is marked by the appointment of Simon Crafar as the chief MotoGP steward, but Bagnaia clarified that all lap-related decisions were still managed by race control. Following the session, race director Mike Webb issued an apology to Bagnaia, acknowledging the “human error” tied to the improperly displayed yellow flag.

Webb’s statement underscored the gravity of the situation, highlighting the impact of the misplaced yellow flags on Bagnaia’s fastest lap of the session. “We are very unhappy with this unfortunate situation and the effect it has had on Pecco’s weekend,” he noted, emphasizing that lap cancellations are standard protocol when a rider encounters a yellow flag, irrespective of the presence of a crash in the vicinity.

While the race control faces scrutiny for their decision, Morbidelli was subsequently penalized with a three-place grid drop for obstructing Bagnaia during practice. He admitted the fairness of the penalty while explaining the precarious circumstances he faced. As he approached Turn 3, riders ahead of him had significantly slowed, while marshals were still recovering Bezzecchi’s crashed bike, all without any yellow flags to indicate caution.

“I was coming in hot and saw the bikers in front almost come to a standstill,” Morbidelli explained. “When Pecco approached, I was attempting to navigate what was a chaotic situation. Anything could have occurred — it was indeed a dangerous moment.”

Implications for the Championship

This incident raises questions about race control’s consistency and decision-making during critical moments in the championship. As the drama unfolds in Thailand, both Bagnaia and Morbidelli’s situations reflect the high-stakes environment of MotoGP, where each session can significantly influence riders’ standings and confidence as the season progresses.

The fallout from this practice incident will likely ripple through the forthcoming sessions, with both riders facing different challenges as they aim to establish their positions ahead of the race weekend’s culminating events.

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