MotoGP Thailand: Francesco Bagnaia: “There was a lot of contact, it was intense”

The 26-lap race was a battle of surviving the heat and conserving the rear tyre, something the top three did better than anyone e🍬lse.
Bagnaia 🅘was caught up in early battles with both Marqu❀ez brothers, Luca Marini and Brad Binder which made saving his rear tyre very hard.
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But still, the reigning world champion was able to close in on Martin and Binder as the race w⛄ent on before coming close to victory.
Bagnaia sai𒊎d: “I was very honestly very happy that my start was perfect. I was able🐭 to do the race by controlling the rear tyre.
“Before we finished the first lap the battle commenced, there was𒁏 a lot of contact, a l❀ot of battles. It was intense.
“I didn’t have time to manage the rear tyre, I had to push a lot to close the gap. Unluckily I arrived to the group n🅷ot in theꦍ best shape with the rear tyre.
“In any case, we managed to recover and finished in seco🍃nd position thanks to Brad touching the green o𝄹n the last lap.
“If I was close to the overtake, it was the best of the past few years! Overtaking two from the outside on the laꩵst corner was great.
“It was normal, when you’re outside, the rider on the inside releases the br🐈akes and touches you. It’s normal. I eꦺxpected it.”
Prior to the last lap beginning, Bagnaia made a very bold attempt at taking the lead away from Martin when heꦏ rode around the outside of the Spaniard.
However, Mar👍tin positioned himse🧔lf perfectly on the inside which also allowed Binder to regain second.
Bagnaia added: “I tried! Exiting from Corner 1 and 3, I was losing a lot. I g💜ained in Sector 3꧋ but not enough to be close.
“I expected Bradℱ to overtake Jorge but he did💝n’t have the perfect attempt. It was difficult for me.”
Over💫 the course of this weekend Bagnaia has seen his championship lead go from 27 to 13 points.
Di𝕴scussing the title battle, Bagnaia added: “Let’s see. We st🐲arted the overseas races with a gap of three points, now it’s 13. It is positive.
“We foun🤪d, finall📖y, my top feeling. Today I was able to brake hard, to fight, to be strong all weekend.
“I am angry about yesterday, I missed the start and lost to🅰o many points from when I was fast. We must improve in the sprint race and in the time-ꦗattack.”