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SEPANG: Reigning MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia, has expressed caution regarding his chances of winning both the sprint and main races in the season finale, likely to take place in Barcelona. Bagnaia, commonly known as Pecco, acknowledged the challenges of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he experienced a crash last June.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Bagnaia stated, “We know that it’s quite difficult, but in Barcelona, anything can happen. The conditions will also be tougher because it will be cold, and corners 2 and 5 are particularly tricky,” during a post-2024 Malaysian Grand Prix race press conference. His recent victory at the Sepang International Circuit has kept his hopes of defending the MotoGP World Championships alive, marking his 10th title of the season.
This crucial win has narrowed the gap in the championship standings to just 24 points behind leader Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing. Bagnaia currently sits in second place in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship standing
s with 461 points, while Martin leads with 485 points.
The 27-year-old Bagnaia also felt undeterred heading into the main race in Sepang, despite crashing out of the sprint race previously. He expressed confidence, stating, “In terms of mental side, I was not scared about today, I was fully confident and knowing that I was able to fight for the win.”
Meanwhile, Jorge Martin is determined to maintain his lead and secure the championship title. The Spaniard, who needs at least 14 points to secure his first MotoGP world champion title, described it as a privilege and ‘crazy’ to compete against two-time world champion Bagnaia until the end.
Earlier today, Dorna Sports Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta mentioned ongoing discussions with the Catalonia government about holding the final race in Barcelona, with confirmation expected within the next 48 hours. The season’s last race, initially scheduled for Valencia, Spain, on November 15 to 17, was cancelled due to heavy flooding.
