Ducati: Pecco Bagnaia Is Categorical About Helping Marc Marquez

Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia spoke at a press conference in Sepang about his thoughts ahead of the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix. The Piedmontese rider is skeptical about the track’s current conditions: “They’ve resurfaced the track for F1, which only makes things worse for us, because that kind of work removes the potholes but also the grip, and on two wheels, the feel of the track gets worse. But they only did it on the straights, not in the corners.”

“I can’t wait to ride on this track; I love it, and I think it’s my best chance to have a little more fun. So I’ll give it my all; I’ll take more risks to try to have fun,” according to GPone.

Bagnaia doesn’t want to hear anything about team orders: “Honestly, I’ve never received any, and I’ve never asked for them. When I was competing for titles, that wasn’t part of the plan, so I believe riders should be free to race for themselves.”

“Obviously, if your teammate is fighting for the title, you try to get past him in the best way possible, but if you have a chance to win, you win,” the two-time MotoGP world champion said plainly.

One of the latest developments ahead of the race is Jorge Martin’s return to the track. The Aprilia rider has received medical clearance from the MotoGP doctors and will be able to take to the track at least for the first free practice session, scheduled for 3:45 a.m. Italian time on Friday morning, less than a week after suffering a compound fracture of the radius in the Phillip Island Sprint. At the end of FP1, the Spaniard will undergo another medical examination to determine whether he can continue the weekend. Martin trails Marc Marquez by 10 points in the title race.