Francesco Bagnaia faced a setback at the MotoGP Italian GP. Even in case of being the fastest in qualifying, the Ducati rider will not start from pole position as he was penalized with three grid positions for the main race in Mugello.
This afternoon during practice, Bagnaia was involved in an incident with Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati). The Italian was riding at a slow pace on the racing line at turn 12, causing Márquez, who was following behind, to be disrupted and lose a fast lap.
The stewards deemed Bagnaia’s actions as irresponsible riding, contrary to regulations, and decided to penalize him with a three-position drop on the grid for the main race of the Italian GP. This penalty does not affect the Sprint race, where the qualifying results will still stand.
At the end of the day, the 2022 and 2023 champion argued that he braked later and moved aside without hindering Márquez. However, after reviewing the evidence, the stewards concluded otherwise. Ducati and their rider have the right to appeal the decision if they choose to do so.