Jerez MotoGP Test: Top rookie Bagnaia 'mix of Lorenzo and Dovizioso'
Francesco Bagnaia wrapped-up 2018 💃MotoGP testing where he aims to finish the 2019 season; as top roꦯokie.
The reigning Moto2 champion featured as high a🐭s third on the Thursday Jerez timesheets before being nudged back to ninth, albeit only 0.388s from test leader Takaaki Nakagami (Honda).
Having also been top newcomer (in eleventh) on his Pramac Ducati debut at Valencia, it's been a highly encouraging start to the Italian's MotoGP career - with 'Pecco' credi♉ting a geometry change for his surge up the Jerez timesheets.
Francesco Bagnaia wrapped-up 2018ꩵ MotoGP testing where he aims to finish♑ the 2019 season; as top rookie.
The reigning Moto2 champion featured as high as third on the Thursday🥃 Jerez timesheets befඣore being nudged back to ninth, albeit only 0.388s from test leader Takaaki Nakagami (Honda).
Having also been top newcomer (in eleventh) on his Pramac Ducati debut at Valencia, it's been a🍌 highly encouraging start to the Italian's MotoGP career - with 'Pecco' crediting a geometry change for his surge up the Jerez timesheets.
"We made a great step today with the setting," Bagnaia said. "It ꧑has been very positive and finally I'm happy because this direction was better for everything. The last setting that I tried was a good point to start next yea♏r."
Overseeing Bagnaia's set-up is Jorge Lorenzo's former crew chief Cristian Gabarrini: "Everything that I've asked Cristian for, he gave to me and🦹 this is a thing that every rider wants. At the moment I'm happy."
Suzuki's Joan Mir (14th) had been Bagnaia's closest r💙ookie rival at Valencia, with Sepang Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo next best newcomer at Jerez (12th).
"My objective next year for sure would be to arrive in front of the other rookies and it was impor♎tant for me to finish the test here as the first rookie," Bagnaia confirmed. "Other than that, I just want to make experience for next year.
"The n🌞ext step is the holidays! Then in February we start a💟gain with the first test in Malaysia. It's another difficult track, but very good for understanding what we have to work on.'
Bagnaia 🐈suspected his riding style would be similar to Lorenzo before climbing aboard the GP18𝓀 at Valencia.
Does he still feel the same after four da♋ys of testing?
"I'm a mix between Lorenzo and Dovizioso, at the moment," he repl𝓀ied. "For corner speed for sure Lorenzo and in the e🐼xit more like Dovizioso."
Th൩at wouldn't be a bad combination, given the seven race wins by the former factory Ducati line-up in 2018.
Bagnaia's Pramac team-mate J🐲ack Miller, riding a GP19, was eighth fastest at Jerez.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valen🃏tino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
