Pecco Bagnaia was at a disadvantage after a difficult Friday and Saturday. He finished 13th in qualifying and 8th in the Sprint race and saw Jorge Martín reduce a gap of almost two races to snatch the championship lead. However, the race on Sunday was crucial not only for the points but also for the psychological battle between the competitors, and the Italian took advantage to leave a “hint”.
Determined from the start, Bagnaia made assertive and clean overtakes, moving up the standings from his 13th position on the grid. Midway through the race, he was well placed, eyeing a podium to salvage some pride from the GP. But in a typical MotoGP twist, leader Martín crashed, allowing Bagnaia to gain new momentum. After overtaking Maverick Viñales, he claimed victory in Indonesia, regaining the championship lead with an 18-point advantage over Martín.
After the race, Bagnaia had a clear message for his most recent critics, making a gesture to the camera and saying: ‘Many times, people talk too much. Sometimes, it’s better to wait for the results. That was for them’.
Reflecting on the tough period after the Catalan GP, Bagnaia said: ‘I needed a result like this. After the Barcelona GP, I went through a lot. I had many difficulties, felt bad in many situations, and it became hard to push. I am deeply grateful to my team, especially the electronics staff. We took a significant step forward this morning. We truly deserved this victory and I am proud of it’.
Talking about his mental recovery after the challenges of the previous day, Bagnaia mentioned watching an episode about David Beckham, who probably faced more criticism than him, and emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive people: ‘My partner always supports me when she sees I’m not at my best. Conversations with my team, family, and Valentino helped. She even talked about her shopping day. Last night, I realized I needed a result like today’s’.
About the significance of this victory, Bagnaia compared it to his win in Malaysia the previous year. He acknowledged Martín’s speed, but highlighted the importance of this victory after a tough period. It is a morale boost, not only for him but also for his team.
Regarding the challenges of the last GPs, Bagnaia said: ‘I knew the potential was there; we just had to understand a few things. Today everything clicked – the mindset, the team. After yesterday’s sprint and qualifying, I was quite upset. We worked hard last night and during the race, I gave my best’.
Bagnaia’s victory in Indonesia marks the first time, since Melandri in Turkey in 2006, that a MotoGP rider wins a race without starting from the first four rows: ‘These achievements make me happy. It’s true that overtaking in MotoGP is now a challenge, but if we are faster, we can make our move,’ he added.
Regarding Martín’s crash, Bagnaia said: ‘We are performing at such a high level that it doesn’t take much to fall. I’ve had many accidents similar to Jorge’s, like in Austin and India. Our bike is fast, but understanding it is crucial. There are moments when we are so confident that we need to be cautious’.
As the new leader of MotoGP, Bagnaia concluded: ‘In the first half of the championship, I was leading and increased my advantage to 66 points with the same mindset. I started losing points after Barcelona and Martín became very strong. I worked to rediscover my feelings on the bike and today I was ahead of everyone’.
