Bagnaia calm in Qatar: “It’ll be a GP like any other; in fact, I’m aiming for the top six”

Pecco Bagnaia has chosen to put his trust in the authorities. On Thursday, during the media day for the Qatar Grand Prix, the Ducati rider admitted that he had arrived in Lusail with some concerns, but played down the security risks: in his view, a direct attack is not the scenario to fear. The

real nightmare for the paddock is something else, and far more concrete: getting stranded because the airport is closed. His comments come after days of tension surrounding the Gulf race and also explain why the two-time world champion decided to take part despite his initial misgivings.

Bagnaia made no secret of how he felt in the run-up to the race, speaking to Motosan contributor Manuel Pecino: "It's exactly as I expected. It's true that I was a little worried. I can't hide how I felt before coming here, but I decided to put my full trust in Dorna, the organisers, IRTA and the government. I believe everyone is working to keep us safe, and they have provided us with practically everything we asked for. We need to work together; this is the best way to do it, and I think it's the right thing".

He explained that the paddock has the feel of a normal race weekend. Then came his clearest remark: "I feel that we don't need to be afraid of a bombing here. The only thing we might have to worry about is the airport being closed. But I trust them, and I want to keep doing so".

On the sporting front, the Turin native is banking on the characteristics of the track. "I love this circuit. I've always got on well with its layout. It's one of Ducati's best tracks. The asphalt looks similar to Brno's, so maybe my grip problems will be less severe", he said, setting a clear target: with good work alongside the team, he feels "fairly confident" he can fight for a top-six finish.

The Sepang weekend left its mark, but also gave him extra motivation. "Sunday's race was a disaster, so we're all working to understand how we can improve", Pecco admitted, convinced that nobody in the garage wants to go through similar problems again. Ducati, for its part, is looking to bring his season to a dignified close, as reported in Ducati want a dignified finish with Bagnaia: "Pecco has everything he needs".

There was also room for a joke about the storm stirred up by his interview with Sky after the Malaysian GP, which had prompted reactions even from people who said they did not understand what he was referring to. "I haven't had good results for the media to talk about me, so I need another way to get them talking, and that was a good one. People are still talking about it a lot, so it worked well", he joked.

Now the track will do the talking. Lusail is the third-last round of the season and could already see Marc Marquez crowned champion, while Bagnaia will be looking to Qatar's asphalt for the comeback sign he has been waiting for over the past few weeks.

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