The reigning double world champion enters the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez with a mixed recent performance, having faced a non-score in Portugal and a sixth-place struggle in America, despite winning the last two Spanish Grands Prix at the same venue. One of the key challenges for Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning champion, has been a recurring vibration issue on the rear of his Ducati bike, which has also affected other Ducati riders during the first three rounds of the championship.
However, Bagnaia displayed a promising turnaround during the practice sessions at Jerez, where he set a new lap record in the afternoon session, topping it by 0.100 seconds. He attributed this success to a different strategy employed on Friday, treating it as a testing day and experimenting with various adjustments on the bike. Despite the absence of vibrations during practice, Bagnaia remains cautious, as historically, the issue tends to arise during Saturday’s sprint race.
The Italian rider expressed satisfaction with the improvements in his bike’s performance, particularly in braking and corner entry, noting reduced movement and better overall feeling. When questioned about the specific changes made to the bike, Bagnaia remained discreet, hinting at significant modifications implemented to enhance his comfort and performance on the track.
Ducati has been actively addressing the vibration concerns faced by its riders, with Bagnaia attributing the issue to the altered construction of Michelin’s rear tyres for the 2024 season. He speculated that while the new tyre construction offers increased grip, it can lead to vibrations under certain conditions, particularly when the tyre is stressed.
Despite the exceptional lap times recorded this season, Bagnaia emphasized the importance of finding the right balance between performance and stability, particularly in light of the unexpected challenges posed by the tyre changes.
