MotoGP Valencia: Sachsenring Bagnaia’s turning point, ‘everything was a nightmare’

Pecco Bagnaia achieved the dream of becoming MotoGP World Champion on Sunday after a rollercoaster season on the Ducati Lenovo.

A difficult start to 2022 saw the factory outfit scrambling to amend the pre-season direction of its updated Desmosedici with Gresini’s Enea Bastianini outpacing the pack after inheriting Bagnaia’s 2021 model.

An eventful summer break saw the Italian return to action revived and with a new found confidence, heralding seven podiums - four on the top step - to add to his three previous victories on European soil. Five DNF’s blotted Bagnaia’s copybook as the quest for the title culminated at Valencia’s final race, 23 points the advantage over Fabio Quartararo and a ninth place finish sealing the deal, despite some interesting battles early on damaging the 25-year-old’s front wing. “I’m very, very happy because on the day of the worst race of the calendar I’ve had a special sweet taste,’ Bagnaia said on his challenging Sunday at Ricardo Tormo. “When I crossed the finish line and saw my pit board with writing saying I was the World Champion everything was brighter and nicer.

“My emotion is incredible in this moment. It wasn’t easy because after the fight with Fabio I lost a winglet and from that moment everything was a nightmare.

“I’ve done lap by lap trying ride defensive lines, but it was very difficult, and it took so long to finish the race. I’m very proud of my team, myself and of what we did because it’s incredible.”

Bagnaia’s fightback saw him overcome a 91 point deficit after Sachsenring, with Assen bringing the first of four consecutive wins as the Italian missed the podium at just Motegi, and the final race, across the second half of the season.

“I lost the faith in the championship for one