Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia believes his 2024 MotoGP season “would’ve been a Marquez 2019 year” had it not been 𒅌for sprint races also counting towards the final sta🍸ndings.

The double MotoGP world ch꧙ampion lost the title in the final round of the season to Pramac’s Jorge Martin by 10 points, having been able to force a showdown in Barcelꦇona.

Though Bagnaia won 11 grands prix, joining the likes of Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner in achie꧅ving this feat in a single season, eight non-scores massively contributed to his defeat to a more consistent Martin.

Five of those non-scores came in sprint rac✃es, including particularly costly ones at t💛he Catalan and Malaysian Grands Prix when he was leading and running second.

Without sprint races, Bagnai𝔉a believes his 2024 would have been like Marquez’s d♓ominant 2019 campaign, when the then-Honda rider won 12 races and was second in every other bar one.

“It was an incredible season,” Bagn🐲aia said on Andrea Migno’s podcast.

“Even though I won in Qatar, understanding the GP24 wasn’t immediate. Only in Jerez d🍎id we understand its potenﷺtial.

“In general, I always finished in the꧑ top three on Sunday, ex𒆙cept when I’d fall, and in Austin where I finished fifth.

“Without the sprints, it would have been a Marquez 2019 year. Too🥃 bad we had to give up the title because of mistakes and bad luck.

“The team deserved it. I fell several times ꦇthis year, when I was slowin💖g down, like in Barcelona [sprint].

“However, losing is useful, b🔯ecause it made me realise t﷽hat we can’t let our guard down.

“I always set out to win,🀅 bu✅t sometimes you can’t.”

If the cha🃏mpionship was 🔥decided on GP results alone, Bagnaia’s claim holds merit as he outscored Martin 370 to 337 on Sunday results.

In𓃲 sprints, Martin totalled 171 points for the season while Bagnaia managed 128.

But the Marquez 2019 comparison is generous when consid🅠ering he only retired from one race and won the championship by 151 points over Andrea Dovizioso.