Francesco Bagnaia ‘angry’ at visor issue, ‘ridiculous’ slow riding

Reigning champion and title leader Francesco Bagnaia will start second on the British MotoGP grid after his pole hopes ended with a bizarre visor sticker issue.

After breaking the lap record, Bagnaia was looking to keep clear of his rivals on his final run when the sponsor banner across the top of his visor became detached and dangled in front of the visor.

The Italian reached up to rip it away but his final lap was lost.

Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro then snatched pole position away by 0.208s.

“A bit [frustrated] because honestly the potential was there to do the pole position,” Bagnaia said in parc ferme. “We have to say that Aleix did an amazing sector 4 and all the weekend is very fast. We also know the Aprilia in this track is fast.

“So we have to be happy because we had the chance to do a very good first attempt.

“But then I lost the sponsor banner on the helmet. It went in front of my eyes and I'm very angry for that because it's something that whoever has to manage these kind of things has to be more precise.

“Losing the possibility to do a better result in the qualifying for things like this is not good.”

The visor incident was not Bagnaia’s only gripe with numerous riders seen cruising on track in search of a tow at the end of Qualifying 2.

“We have also to say that the situation in qualifying right now is quite ridiculous considering that ten MotoGP riders can go slow like this to follow other riders,” Bagnaia said.

“I think we are at the top of our sport. If we are here, it's because we can do things alone and it's quite ridiculous the situation.

“But until anyone [Stewards] will say something, it will be continue like this.”

Bagnaia will start this afternoon's Sprint race ten points clear of Jorge Martin, who qualified in fourth place.