Bulega scores first MotoGP point with the Ducati Lenovo Team: fifteenth in his debut race at Portimão, Bagnaia crashes while running fourth

• Alex Márquez on the podium in second with the Ducati of the Gresini Racing Team

The Ducati Lenovo Team took part in the twenty-first and penultimate race of the season at Portimão’s Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Nicolò Bulega wrapped up the Grand Prix of Portugal in fifteenth place, scoring his first point in the premier class on his debut. Francesco Bagnaia, on the other hand, crashed in the middle stages of the encounter.

Starting from eighteenth on the grid, Bulega showed top-ten-worthy pace in the second half of the race, continuing to improve his performance aboard the Desmosedici GP machine as he finished fifteenth. Bagnaia lost one position at the start but climbed back to fourth at the end of the opening lap. After the initial stages, Pecco found himself in a lonely fourth position before losing the front at turn ten during lap eleven and crashing out, which compromised the outcome of his race.

As the twenty-first Grand Prix of the season draws to a close, with Marc Márquez already crowned World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia sits fourth in the standings, thirty-five points behind third place. The Triple Crown is completed by the Teams’ title secured by the Ducati Lenovo Team and the Constructors’ title clinched by Ducati.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action from November 14th to tackle the season finale at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Nicolò Bulega (#11 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 15th
“Today was surely a better day. Yesterday, in the Sprint, I made a rookie mistake and only completed a few laps. The goal for today was therefore to finish the race and gain as much experience as possible, while trying to understand the bike better and the many areas that make it so different from the Panigale. In the last six or seven laps, my pace wasn’t too bad; I was able to be quick and to close the gap to the riders ahead of me. Then, unfortunately, I made a mistake that cost me three or four seconds. I bridged the gap once more, but it was too late. The important thing was to finish the race and bring this experience with me to Valencia, and all in all, it went well.”

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF
“After yesterday’s grip issues, today I was simply trying to stay with the frontrunners. I gave it my all, but unfortunately they were faster than me. My margin to the riders behind was increasing, but then I crashed: I entered turn ten a bit faster than usual and, while trying to decelerate, the front tucked. I was pushing hard and these things can happen. The positive note is that we made a step forward compared to yesterday, so we’ll try to do our best in the final Grand Prix of the season.”