Ducati boss shares ‘team orders’ decision for Sunday's Valencia MotoGP
The reigning champion saw his 21-point advantag♔e w꧂hittled down to 14 points after Saturday’s sprint race, which title rival Jorge Martin won.
Bagnaia begins the grand 🌼prix on Sunday from second, Martin from sixth.
The role of the other six Ducati riders could be a factor in deciding the ꦆtitle.
Ducati’s Dav🌳ide Tardozzi was asked if he would implement team orders to help Bagnaia, but said: “No.
“There have never been tea🐷m orders last year or this year.
“Whatever the riders doཧ - like Marquez or Zarco in Qatar, saying they prefer not to fight with Martin - maybe today somebody will decide not to fight with Pecco.
“The꧟re are no team orders in Ducati. Riders are able to decide whatever they want.”
Pramac’s Gino Borsoi insisted that the title scrap has been fair so far - including Martin’s agg🅷ressiveness on Saturday.
“Everybody 🧔is fighting in a fair way,” Borsoi said. “Eveꦰn Jorge made a fair attack.
“It was all professional. I have to say thankyou ဣto them.”
'Bagnaia is pissed off'
Tardozzi wasཧ left disappointed b🌄y Saturday’s sprint result.
“It was a tough day, we expected more after the mor♌ning session and qualifying,” he said.
“Fifth is the minimum that we can accept.
“Jorge did a fantastic 🦂race and deserved the win. We will try 😼to do better tomorrow.
“Pecco is pissed oജff because he didn’t find the confidence to find the podium.
“It was tough but correct. Martin wa🦩s in a rush, looking to Vinales who was pulling away.
“The right choice was the rear soft tyre. Th𓂃e first three made the difference. Whoever chose the medium maybe made a mistake, it was more slow at the end of the race.
“We’ll see what the choice is [on Sunday].”
Borsoi said about Martin: “It 🌸is clear that he’s the best rider at sprint races. We are ha🧸ppy because we closed the gap again, again, again…
“We are still alive.
“Now we’re there. We are fighting again.
“Sunday is always different. Our pace wa𒅌s good [on Saturday]. At the moment we have a good balance with the setup, Jorge said tღhe bike was perfect.
“If yo🏅u have this feeling, we are strong enough to win.♊”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American spo♚rts, to football, to F1.
