Dismiss Team Order, Francesco Bagnaia: Not Necessary In Ducati

Francesco Bagnaia, failed to qualify for Q1, the Mandalika GP. (photo: twitter @PeccoBagnaia)

JAKARTA - Francesco Bagnaia dismissed suggestions that his team-mate, Enea Bastianini, let him pass through the Indonesian MotoGP Sprint. Bagnaia insists that Ducati "will never have" a team order.

Bagnaia lost its world championship leadership position for the first time since the Spanish GP in April after struggling to finish in eighth in a sprint Saturday, October 14 in Mandalika, while rival Jorge Martin won.

It was a difficult day for Bagnaia, who failed to qualify for Q1 and only managed to qualify in 13th position. He had to struggle with the problem of holding the rear tire on a soft Michelin tire.

Bagnaia was behind Bastianini throughout the sprint, but was unable to get past his teammates. This raises the question why Ducati did not apply the order team to move Bagnaia to seventh place and limited Martin's lead to six over seven.

"I didn't get a team order last year, so we don't have that this year," Bagnaia was quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. "Last year was the same bike, I struggled for the championship. We will never have this kind of team order.

"Normal, we are eight riders with the same chance to fight at the forefront. This is a strategy from Ducati and from the start, and I accept it," he added. "Today, the only way it's possible to get past Enea is to push her out. I don't want to do it. That's not the way I like racing."

When asked if Bastianini was supposed to help Bagnaia enter Q2, he added: "Why prevent a rider from coming back from injury after so long and telling him 'don't increase your lap time because you have to let Pecco pass'.

"It may be difficult for you to understand, but from my point of view, in other story races but in qualifying it is normal like this," Bastianini said.

Team order at Ducati was a topic of talk last year as Bastianini, who competed for Gresini's team, and Bagnaia were involved in competition in a number of races despite Bagnaia's struggle for the title.

Martin's move to lead the riders' standings marks the first time in his MotoGP career that he is capable of doing so. However, the Pramac Ducati racer said his mentality would not change because of this. "It feels good, it feels great and it feels like a dream," said Martin.

"That's why we're here. But the mentality will stay the same. I need to attack; I need to enjoy this moment," he said. "Everything that comes is good. I feel the pressure is on Pecco, in my opinion, because he needs to win. So, I will keep the same mentality."