Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia says he ‘needed’ a strong showing on Friday a💫t the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix following his “strange” Aragon weekend.

T🍌he reigning double world champion topped Friday outright at Misano by 0.185 seconds despite carrying minor injuries from a tangle with Alex Marquez last Sunday at Aragon.

Friday at Misano marked a major turnaround in form for Bagnaia, who struggled all weekend on the new asphalt at Aragon prior to his race🔴-ending crash with the younger Marquez ෴brother.

For his confidence, he said he needed to have the strong day t🌟hat he did, while admitting also that he had to ride with painkillers in second practice after his physical condition left him “a bit scared” in FP1.

“This feels very good to be first in a normal day, not consideriဣng my physical situation,” he said.

“But after Aragon, I was needing a feeling like this on my bike because in 🍬Aragon everythin🅷g was strange.

“So, I’m happy. This morning, I was a bit scared about my feeling beca𝓀use I was feeling a lot of pa൩in in all of my body.

“But this afternoon🦩 we decided, and we planned in the Clini🐭ca, [to use] painkillers and I felt much better.

“So, ဣbeing able to just focus on riding was better for me and we did a 🔯very good job with the bike. My feeling was very good.”

On using painkillers through the weekend, Bagnaia added: “Yeah, absolutely [𝓰I will use more], also for tonight to sleep well.

“Tomoꩵrrow morning maybe I will have to suffer a bit without taking anything.

“But we will try to do something good even if I feel a bit of ⛎pain to have more painkillers in the afternoon.”

Bagnaia headed five Ducatis in Friday practice at Misano aܫnd feels this is 𒅌the “normality” he expected to see last weekend at Aragon.

“I was expecting a normal [weekend] in Aragon,” the Italian, looking to close down a 23-point lead in the championship🐻, said.

“Here is 💖the normality, I think. Before Aragon, iꦆt was more or less this situation every session.

“Marc [Marquez] is ridin🤡g well, for sure the win in Aragon has given to him a lot𝔍 of motivation.

“In ♕this track, I don’t remember well, but la♏st year I was feeling good even if I was not at 100% like this year. But for sure, I was expecting a result like this.”