MotoGP: Sprint points have saved Bagnaia, Bezzecchi clear on Sundays, Binder qualifying struggles

It’s not lost on Bagnaia that 44 of his points have been scored in the new - half distance, half points - Sprint races, where (as the tables below show) he is the highest performer so far, followed by KTM’s Brad Binder.

But Sundays have been a different story. Bagnaia’s three DNFs - falling on his own in Argentina and COTA, then tangling with Maverick Vinales at Le Mans - have left him with just 50 points out of a possible 125.

If MotoGP was still using the Sunday only system, Bagnaia would be third in the standings, 26 points behind Marco Bezzecchi (VR46) and 8 from another satellite Ducati rider Johann Zarco (Pramac).

Fortunately for the factory Ducati star, his combined total puts him one point clear of Bezzecchi heading into next month’s home Mugello round.

But if Bagnaia had finished in the positions that he fell from in Argentina (2nd), Texas (1st) and Le Mans (3rd), he would have another 61 points more.

“We are demonstrating that we are always in the front, always one of the most competitive, with the most pace. But then I am leading the championship by [just] one point,” Bagnaia said.

“Every time I think to be calm or to wait a bit, I just commit a mistake or I just crash like [Le Mans] for someone else or something else. This is something that I have to understand.

“I have the luck that there are the Sprint races now because if not I was already so [far] behind and I could have [another] 50-70 points or more before this small break.”

The 26-year-old, who has been on the Sprint podium in four out of five rounds, including wins in Portimao and COTA, added:

“Without the Sprint races I would be so much behind, with 50 points. I have 44 points just for the Sprint races and this is helping a lot.

“This year it’s quite clear that we are always in the front, we are always there leading and the other riders are [fluctuating] in terms of performance.

“But years ago, it was not possible to lead in the championship [with three DNFs in ten races] because [the same four] riders were always in the front and one mistake can cost the title.

“So this has changed a lot.”

One area where Bagnaia has no need for concern at the moment is qualifying, having started from the front row in all but one event and from fifth in the other.

It means Bagnaia leads the BMW Best Qualifier table on 86 points (out of 125, the same scoring system as a GP race results) compared to 49 for next best qualifier Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati), while Bezzecchi and team-mate Luca Marini are tied for fourth on 48.

Meanwhile, Brad Binder's starting positions are again at odds with his race results. The Red Bull KTM star holds third in the world championship, with two Sprint wins, but is ranked just 15th on the best qualifier list after starting 15th, 15th, 11th, 4th and 10th (see tables below).

Bagnaia overcame a record 91-point deficit, and five DNFs, to win last year's title.

No rider has scored points in all ten races so far this season.