In the tabloid format, Pecco Bagnaia’s performance at the 2024 Grand Prix of the Americas was far from impressive. Despite his previous success at the track, he struggled throughout the weekend and found himself in a difficult situation. This reminded him of the start of the 2022 season when he had to race defensively and was not performing well. Back then, he had a slow start but managed to turn things around and secure a second chance at the title due to his competitors’ decline. However, this season has been inconsistent for Bagnaia once again. While he won in Qatar and had a chance to win in Portimao, he also had sessions where he was nowhere to be found. His weekend at COTA was filled with ups and downs, but he couldn’t produce his usual Sunday magic.
On Friday, Bagnaia had a promising start to the weekend, but things took a turn for the worse during the sprint race. He struggled with wheelspin off the line and felt that both he and his teammate Enea Bastianini had issues with their rear tires. One specific lap during Saturday morning practice highlighted the difference in pace for Bagnaia. Despite using the same rear tire compound, he couldn’t match his earlier performance. Comparing his lap times to the eventual COTA winner, Maverick Vinales, showed a significant gap.
During the main race, Bagnaia initially had a good pace and believed he could fight for a win or a podium finish. However, his rear tire started vibrating and causing chattering, making it difficult for him to manage the bike. This led to him destroying the front tire on the right side and struggling in right-hand corners. The rear vibration has been a recurring issue with the GP24 throughout the season, but it seemed to affect Bagnaia more than others.
It was surprising that Bagnaia and the other Ducati riders chose to run the soft rear tire in the race, considering it had been causing issues with chattering. Bagnaia defended the choice, pointing out that Bastianini could have performed well on the same tire if not for a poor start. However, Bastianini and Jorge Martin both beat Bagnaia on the same tire, which must have been disappointing for him. The performance patterns of the 2024 Ducatis have been difficult to understand, with each rider facing different challenges and successes.
Despite his struggles, Bagnaia remains confident in his team’s ability to solve the problems and get back to fighting for top positions. However, it won’t be as easy as his comeback against Quartararo in 2022. Martin, who has consistently outperformed Bagnaia this season, is currently ahead in the standings. Bagnaia will need to work hard to catch up and compete with his teammate on equal terms.