Pecco Bagnaia frustrated by Race Direction error in qualifying

Bagnaia’s fastest lap was deleted due to a yellow flag mistake, forcing him into Q1.

Francesco Bagnaia of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team rides out of the garage during the free practice 2 session of the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, on March 1, 2025. Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP

By Alana Salsabila and Randy Ahmad

Pecco Bagnaia faced an unexpected setback during the Buriram MotoGP qualifying session on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The reigning MotoGP champion, who had not experienced a first-round qualifying session (Q1) last season, found himself in unfamiliar territory after a controversial decision by Race Direction. A yellow flag error in the final three minutes of the Practice session led to the cancellation of his fastest lap, preventing him from securing direct entry into Q2.

The incident left Bagnaia visibly frustrated, as he believed he had done enough to advance. Instead, he was forced into Q1, adding an extra challenge to his weekend.

Chaos on track as Bagnaia and Morbidelli incident unfolds

As riders scrambled to set their fastest laps in the closing moments of Practice, the session turned chaotic. While an on-track moment between Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli caught attention, the Ducati rider’s real frustration stemmed from his lap being deleted due to an officiating mistake.

The confusion began when marshals mistakenly waved a yellow flag at an incorrect moment. Realizing their error, they attempted to rectify the situation, but their efforts only created more confusion. Bagnaia, unaware of the issue at the time, completed what he thought was a valid lap—only to be informed later that it had been disqualified.

Bagnaia criticizes Race Direction’s handling of flags

Speaking after the session, Bagnaia did not hold back in his criticism of Race Direction’s decision-making.

"There was a mess between the green and yellow lights. I couldn't understand anything," Bagnaia said, expressing his frustration. He argued that the race officials' failure to reinstate his lap time, despite acknowledging their mistake, was unfair.

Bagnaia further criticized the lack of clarity in the flag system, stating, "They don’t know how the flag system works and start pressing buttons."

His words highlighted ongoing concerns about how officiating decisions impact riders, particularly in high-stakes moments like MotoGP qualifying.

Bagnaia meets with Safety Commission for answers

Immediately after the Practice session, Bagnaia sought clarity from the Safety Commission and Race Direction. Before addressing the media, he met with officials to understand why his lap was not reinstated despite the acknowledged error.

Race Director Mike Webb later admitted that the cancellation of Bagnaia’s lap was caused by human error.

"Race Direction has determined that the yellow flag that cancelled Bagnaia’s lap was not shown correctly. This was due to human error," Webb said in an official statement.

Although Webb issued an apology to Bagnaia and the Ducati team, he also confirmed that the decision to delete the lap was final.

"When a rider completes a fast lap under yellow flag conditions, that lap is automatically cancelled. This has happened to a number of riders, but unfortunately in Pecco’s case, it was his fastest lap," Webb explained.

Apology does little to ease Bagnaia’s frustration

Despite Webb’s admission and apology, Bagnaia remained deeply dissatisfied with the decision. He felt that acknowledging an officiating mistake without any corrective action still left him at a disadvantage.

"I was told that they couldn’t return the lap even though they admitted the mistake. And that’s something I can’t understand," Bagnaia stated.

He also revealed details of his conversation with Simon Crafar, the new chairman of the stewards panel, who replaced Freddie Spencer this season. According to Bagnaia, Crafar supported reinstating the lap, but the final decision rested with Race Direction, which refused to overturn the ruling.

"Simon wanted them to give me my lap back, but the decision was in Race Direction’s hands," he added.

Can Bagnaia recover from the setback?

With Ducati still one of the most competitive machines on the MotoGP grid, Bagnaia now faces the challenge of fighting his way through Q1 to secure a strong starting position for the main race. This unexpected hurdle adds pressure to his title defense, as he must navigate additional qualifying sessions while managing his frustration over the officiating mistake.

Despite the controversy, Bagnaia remains one of the strongest contenders for victory at Buriram. However, the incident raises further questions about the consistency of Race Direction decisions and whether future changes are needed to prevent similar situations from occurring.

As the MotoGP weekend progresses, all eyes will be on Bagnaia to see if he can overcome this setback and prove once again why he is the reigning world champion.