Portimao MotoGP: Bagnaia credits 'great front end feeling' for pole

Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia has continued his incredible qualifying streak after taking a fifth consecutive MotoGP pole at Portimao.
Francesco Bagnaia, Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
Francesco Bagnaia, Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
© Gold and Goose

Francesco Bagnaia has taken a fifth consecutive MotoGP pole🅘 after setting a 🐎new lap record at Portimao. 

For the fourth time in five races Bagnaia will line-up just ahead of team-mate Jack Miller w♛ho managed to pip Joan Mir to🔯 second. 

But for Bagnaia, it♎ was another stunning performance on a wee♓kend where he’s finished every session first or second. 

Qualifying was expected to be a battle between Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo, and while Frenchman could well come through to challenge Bagnaia, the Ducati rider certainly has the upper-hand heading into tomorrow’s penultimate race of 2021ꦬ. 

As is often the case in modern MotoGP races, tyre choice will be vital, something Ba꧅gnaia is hoping to get right, unlike Misano. 

The Ducati rider chose the hard front tyre in that Grand Prix, a tyre he wi🍰ll ‘for sure not use’ on the front tomorrow: "For sure I will not use the hard front. This is🌠 true. From the rear it’s different because you have to do something different to win the race. 

"With the hard you need more time to wa⛄rm up the tyre but then you can ♐push more. 

"The Medium maybe you hav൩e to manage a b♋it more, but last time here it was more hot and the medium was doing a good job."

Bagnaia’s stunning pole lap was not only a new lap record around Portimao, but also a Ducati record after b🐎ecoming the first to achieve five on the bounce. 

Aske🔯d what’s been the biggest difference and how he’s able to get so much from the bike over one lap, Bagnaia added: "It’s from the Assen that I’m in the front now and in the last few races I’m always on pole. 

"I think it’s just the feeling that♛ I have wi♐th my bike. In qualifying you have to do a crazy lap and you have to feel very good with everything. 

"I have a really great feeling with the front of my bike and this gave me𓂃 a lot of confidence with braking and the entry. Apart from this I don’t know what really chang꧑es."

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