Sprint withdrawal after two laps: What’s going on with Francesco Bagnaia?

The MotoGP weekend at Phillip Island is turning into yet another disappointment for Francesco Bagnaia. Starting from 16th on the grid, the Ducati factory rider got off to a flying start and finished the first lap in 14th place. One lap later, he pulled into the pit lane. Once again, the Italian failed to score any points.

Wrong tyre choice in qualifying prevented a better starting position

Bagnaia had already suffered a setback that morning. In the wet qualifying session, he failed to make it through to Q2. “We made the wrong choice with the rear tyre,” he admitted.

The decision to complete the entire Q1 on a single set of tyres also proved to be a mistake. Nevertheless, Bagnaia considered his options to be limited: even had he made it through to Q2, he estimated that 11th on the grid would have been the best he could have hoped for.

Willkommen auf Phillip Island

Foto: Gold & Goose

Marc Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Fans

Foto: Gold & Goose

Aprilia

Foto: Gold & Goose

Brad Binder

Foto: Gold & Goose

Diogo Moreira

Foto: Gold & Goose

Jorge Martin

Foto: Gold & Goose

Fabio Di Giannantonio

Foto: Gold & Goose

Ai Ogura

Foto: Gold & Goose

Pecco Bagnaia

Foto: Gold & Goose

Pedro Acosta

Foto: Gold & Goose

Fans

Foto: Gold & Goose

Brad Binder

Foto: Gold & Goose

Jorge Martin

Foto: Gold & Goose

Johann Zarco

Foto: Gold & Goose

Marco Bezzecchi

Foto: Gold & Goose

Start des Sprint-Rennens

Foto: Gold & Goose

Alex Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Jack Miller

Foto: Gold & Goose

Sprint-Rennen

Foto: Gold & Goose

Marco Bezzecchi

Foto: Gold & Goose

Jorge Martin und Marc Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Marc Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Alex Márquez, Marc Márquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio

Foto: Gold & Goose

Sprint-Sieger Marc Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Alex Márquez

Foto: Gold & Goose

Willkommen auf Phillip Island

© Gold & Goose

Just two laps: why did the race end so early for Bagnaia?

Bagnaia did not provide a clear explanation afterwards as to why he abandoned the sprint after just two laps. When asked whether the decisive problem had been present from the start, he did not give a specific answer. Instead, he pointed to the difficult conditions and a lack of grip. “The first few laps were difficult because of the strong wind and the cold temperatures,” said the Ducati rider. Whether a technical problem or other difficulties led to his retirement remained unclear.

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: MotoGP’s new schedule proved highly controversial

In 2027, MotoGP will also enter the 850cc era with a new schedule. It was not so much the changes themselves as the way the decisions were reached that caused a stir. A prime example of: ‘Talking helps’.

Thomas Kuttruf

Read More

TV Program

Today

Phillip Island: International Stream

MotoGP World Championship

25.10.2026 - 00:35

It was not the first time this month that Bagnaia had ended a sprint race early in the pits. At Motegi, he had retired on the final lap after vibrations from his heavily damaged soft rear tyre had become increasingly severe. However, he did not confirm a similar reason for his retirement in Australia.

Bagnaia also expressed little confidence ahead of Sunday’s race. “We don’t have much more potential than to finish between 9th and 12th,” explained the Italian. He expects to face grip issues again, particularly in the early stages – “because of the strong wind and the cool temperatures”, as he emphasised.