The Italian driver finished Saturday at the top of the French Grand Prix qualifying table, a day where he managed to be crowned poleman of the day ahead of his teammate, Jack Miller.
Despite signing the first position on the grid for the second weekend in a row, on Saturday a Pecco Bagnaia could be seen who did not seem entirely convinced with the set-up of his Desmosedici. Instead, the Italian decided to go for a change in dynamics that paid off in qualifying for the French Grand Prix.
“During FP4 we did something in the setting that I didn’t like at all, it was very difficult for me to stop the bike”, the Ducati rider introduced after concluding the session. “But for qualifying we did the opposite and everything went perfectly.”
“I’m very happy, because after FP4 I was quite worried because I didn’t feel so good with the tire [we’ve chosen]. I couldn’t stop and I was getting a little pissed off. But later, in qualifying, we made a little detail in the setting that has helped me a lot”.
“So we have done two things in one, pole position, I am very happy about this, but I am happier because we have found the solution to go faster and, really, I am very happy. Starting here first I like it a lot.”
Despite signing his second pole position, Pecco Bagnaia acknowledges that today “has not been as perfect a lap as the one in Jerez”. However, that does not limit the Italian in his quest for victory, a path in which, he admits, he has “to improve in the first sector”, where “something is still missing”.
“Turn 3 has little grip and I’m not feeling very good. But we’ve improved a lot over the weekend, session by session, and I think we’re going to improve even more.”
“This setting has helped me a lot and it will help me a lot tomorrow with the used tires, more than with the new one.”
Pecco Bagnaia’s main goal will be to beat Fabio Quartararo’s pace in the race, which looks impressive for Sunday.
“For me, Fabio [Quartararo] surely has the best pace, at the moment. But, as I said, we have improved a lot now, in qualifying, in the feeling”, although he admits that this afternoon it was more difficult to make the dream time , since “it was hotter and the track had less grip”.
“If Fabio [Quartararo] was much faster before, we can say that we are getting closer to him,” concluded the Italian.
