Francesco Bagnaia has performed admirably this season as he looks for his third consecutive MotoGP championship for Ducati.
The Italian sits second in the MotoGP riders’ standings heading into the Grand Prix of Malaysia, 17 points behind the championship leader Jorge Martin.
Bagnaia has been blisteringly fast over the season, particularly during the summer when the Ducati star ignited his title challenge by winning six out of eight races.
He was very consistent during the middle of the season but has lost a significant amount of points after suffering from three retirements.
These non-finishes have handed the advantage to Martin as the championship nears its conclusion with two rounds to go.
Martin can win the title this weekend if Bagnaia finishes outside the top five in both the Sprint and Grand Prix in Malaysia.
It is a high-pressure weekend for Bagnaia, who can’t afford any errors. Neil Hodgson explained while commentating on TNT Sports 2 (1/11, 7:25) that the Italian has one thing he must do in Malaysia.
Francesco Bagnaia ‘has to risk more’ than Jorge Martin in Malaysia to keep his title hopes alive
Bagnaia has a lot more to gain than Martin in the title fight, as he is 17 points behind the championship leader with two rounds to go.
The Italian rider is heading into the weekend on good form, winning last time out in Thailand after also taking third place in the Sprint.
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Bagnaia has also performed well in Malaysia over the past couple of seasons, taking third place a year ago after winning in 2022.
The championship is out of Bagnaia’s hands, so he needs to deliver under pressure and outscore Martin at the Sepang International Circuit.
Hodgson explained that Bagnaia can’t let Martin build more of an advantage: “If Bagnaia wants to win this championship, he can’t let the gap grow.
“What that means is tomorrow, there’s no way he can finish second behind Martin. He has to attack. He has to risk more if he wants to retain the number one plate.”
Francesco Bagnaia can’t rely on penalties in the title fight
Bagnaia needs to deliver in Malaysia and put pressure on Martin, who is looking for his first MotoGP championship.
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The Italian rider fought hard last time out in Thailand in the Sprint, where Bagnaia admitted he can’t rely on penalties against Martin in the title battle.
He had a very strong start to the weekend, topping the opening practice session at the Malaysia International Circuit ahead of Martin.