The current MotoGP champion, Pecco Bagnaia, identified the source of the problems that he and his fellow Ducati riders have been facing in the early races of the 2024 season. He believes that these problems are also contributing to the remarkable performance of rookie Pedro Acosta. Despite a good start at the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, Bagnaia acknowledged that vibration issues may still pose a challenge. However, he expressed confidence that he and his team are working to find a solution after identifying the cause of the problem. Bagnaia stated that they adopted a different strategy on Friday, treating it as a testing session where they tried out various things. He emphasized that they did not feel any vibrations, but acknowledged that they usually occur on Saturdays during the sprint race. Bagnaia believes that the root cause of the vibration problems is the modification in tire construction introduced by Michelin for the 2024 season. Although the new compounds provide more grip, they also cause vibrations when the tire is pushed too hard. Bagnaia explained that lap times this year have been incredible, exceeding expectations, but riders with his setup and feel on the bike have been feeling these vibrations. He emphasized the need to improve and adapt to this new type of tire. Bagnaia also mentioned that Acosta has benefited from starting his MotoGP career with this tire, as he developed his riding style around it. Bagnaia finds Acosta’s approach impressive and believes that it has helped him better understand the tire as well.
