P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Bagnaia: Martin ‘has the momentum’ in title fight
The reigning premier class world champion was engaged in a battle with Martin throughout Sunday’s race at the wet Motegi circuit, with the two riders trading positions multiple times. Bagnaia initially passed Martin on the first lap but lost the lead during the pit stop, only to regain it later when Martin made a mistake. However, the race was ultimately ended prematurely due to worsening weather conditions. Bagnaia expressed his disappointment that the race didn’t go the full distance, as he felt he was managing his rear tire better than Martin and believed he could have challenged for the win in the closing stages. He acknowledged that Martin now has the momentum in the championship fight, with his lead shrinking to just three points. Bagnaia remained optimistic about the rest of the season and vowed to fight for victory in the upcoming races at Mandalika. Despite missing out on a potential win, he was satisfied with his second-place finish. Bagnaia also agreed with race control’s decision to red-flag the race, as the amount of standing water on the track posed a significant risk.
Source: Motorsport Week
