Bagnaia out-performed his title rival for the second consecutive grand prix, and now has a commanding 23-point lead in th🍷e MotoGP standings.

With just 37 points left on the table, Bagnaia is the clear favourite to repeat as world ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚchampion wiܫth Martin needing to ideally win both races.

• Marc Marq🐼uez ꦕdelivers intriguing money admission about Gresini move 
• Fa♈bio di Giannantonio storms back into contention for VR46 seat in 2024

Martin, who blamওed his P10 in Qatar on a bad tyre, struggled from the outset and Bagnaia admitted he was surprised to see him so low down.

“I never saw him,” said Bagnaia. “I thought he was fourth, but I didn’t see he was behind like this and my team didn’t say any🌊thing to me.”

Martin is fighting for the world title for the first time꧒ in his MotoGP career, while Bagnaia’s experience from 2022 has been invaluaꦇble over the last few rounds.

Bagnaia was under a lot of pressure to secure Ducati’s firs♏t title since 2007 but says the feeling this year is very different.

Bagnaia added: “Last year I remember my feeling (going into the final round). Even if it was a 23-point gap, I was very much under pressure but this year🐓 is different. 

“I⛄ think we can manage the situaꦬtion better and Jorge will have to totally attack. We are in the best position.”

During t💫he Qatar MotoGP, a race where Bagnaia led the majority before a mistake took him out of the running with three laps to go, Fabio Di Giannantonio received a mapping 8 message which is a sign of team orders.

The factory team werജe just as༺ surprised as Bagnaia to hear about Di Giannantonio getting that message, however, the meaning was different this time around which is why the Italian continued to attack. 

Bagnaia said: “I didn’t know! He go🌳t mapping eight!? Fantastic if it was the same as the last time! In any case, he was faster, I did the maximum with my pace and I did my best lap time the one before going wide.”