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2021 MotoGP World Championship
Round 15
Grand Prix of the Americas
Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
Sunday 3 October 2021
20:00
Francesco Bagnaia will chase a hat-trick of wins when the 2021 MotoGP World Championship holds Round 15, the Grand Prix of the Americas, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on the evening of Sunday 3 October.
Lenovo Ducati rider ‘Pecco’ claimed a second straight race win when he emerged triumphant at the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix in mid-September, following on from his victory at the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain the previous round.
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The two wins has seen Bagnaia close in on Riders’ Championship leader Fabio Quartararo, though the Monster Energy Yamaha man still holds a strong 48-point lead and remains in a great position to win the title. Nonetheless, ‘Pecco’ has the momentum on his side and will be looking to continue his excellent form.
"I knew that it was very important to start well and already be pushing from the start because with the soft [rear tyre], the grip initially was better," explained Bagnaia. "I was also knowing that Fabio [Quartararo] in the last part of the race would be faster with the medium. So, I just tried to be fast and constant from the start.
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"I did my best start ever because I started when the light went off, so it was incredible. I trained a lot for this. When I passed the first straight I was already looking to the board and it was plus 1.0 seconds which was incredible already.
"Then I just tried to manage the tyres and the last laps were very difficult. Fabio was recovering four/five tenths per lap so it was not easy. But in the last lap I just tried to do the best and my sector three was my fastest of the race. So it was great."
Bagnaia now seems the only rider who has a shot at chasing down Quartararo in the final four races of the season, with Ecstar Suzuki's Joan Mir (the reigning MotoGP World Champion) and Pramac Ducati's Johann Zarco too far adrift to have a realistic shot.
Riders’ Championship standings
1 – Fabio Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha, 234 points
2 – Francesco Bagnaia, Lenovo Ducati, 186
3 – Joan Mir, Ecstar Suzuki, 167
4 – Johann Zarco, Pramac Ducati, 141
5 – Jack Miller, Lenovo Ducati, 140
Teams’ Championship standings
1 – Monster Energy Yamaha, 329 points
2 – Lenovo Ducati, 326
3 – Ecstar Suzuki, 235
4 – Pramac Ducati, 216
5 – Red Bull KTM, 211
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