Francesco Bagnaia was handed a three-place grid penalty for Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix after being ruled to have ridden carelessly during Friday morning’s FP1 practice.
The factory Ducati racer received a three-place grid penalty for riding slow on the racing line in FP1 and creating a risky scenario for other riders during the final minutes of Friday morning practice at his home race.
Fabio Quartararo currently holds a 44-point lead in the riders’ standings. The Ducati racer is into the Misano racing weekend hoping to cut into that lead further. Bagnaia managed the sixth-best time in the weekend-opening test.
When the 45-minute practice came to an end, the Italian pulled back but continued to speed around the first few bends on the racing line, blocking the way of Gresini’s Enea Bastianini and Alex Marquez’s LCR Honda.
With seven rounds left, Bagnaia has reduced the points difference between himself and Fabio Quartararo by half, although he still behind both riders by 44 and 12 points, respectively. Espargaro finished fourth and Bagnaia sixth in the first practice, with Quartararo posting the quickest time.
