The double world champion has won the last two races at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, but enters this weekend having scored no results in Portugal and battling for sixth place in America.
The main problem for Bagnaia was the vibration at the rear which appeared intermittently during the first three rounds and is something other Ducati riders have encountered.
After a low start to Friday’s testing at Jerez, Bagnaia broke his own lap record from last year to lead the afternoon session by 0.100 seconds.
“We used a different strategy compared to a normal Friday,” Bagnaia said.
“We used Friday as a test and it was very useful. We tested more things than usual and I am very happy.”
“We had no vibrations, but vibrations usually arrive on Saturday in the Sprint.
“That’s why the feet are on the ground. But my feeling increased when braking and entering [it was] Much better, less movement. So very happy.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and the Geese / Motorsport pictures
When asked about the changes, he added: “I can’t [say]. But it was a pretty big thing on the bike. I needed something big.
“It was just working to get a better feel. When you have a better feel, you can do something that helps you be in a better position coming out of corners.”
Ducati is working hard to diagnose the vibration issues its riders are experiencing, and Bagnaia believes it’s down to the different construction of the Michelin rear tires in 2024.
“For me, it’s because of the different tire construction,” he said.
“It gives you more grip, but if you put pressure on the tire, it can start to shake.
“We have to say that the lap times we are doing this year are unbelievable, so maybe they were not expecting this kind of performance because the grip is much higher.
“So, they were probably thinking about having the same lap times but with more support [from the tyre].
“But, at the moment, the lap times seem unbelievable, but in our case, my feeling on the bike, with my settings – too [Jorge] Martin, himself, has that kind of vibration.
