Pecco Bagnaia shows 'why he is a double world champion', Pedro Acosta 'means business' - TNT experts on MotoGP opener

Francesco Bagnaia’s “problem-solving” in Qatar showed “why he is the double world champion,” according to Sylvain Guintoli, while Michael Laverty says MotoGP debutant Pedro Acosta "means business."

Reigning champion Bagnaia surged to a dominant win in the curtain-raising race of the season on Sunday, taking the lead in the opening lap and refusing to relinquish it from that point onwards.

It was a marked improvement on the Italian’s performance just 24 hours earlier, when he could only muster a third-place finish in the Sprint race.

However, TNT Sports expert and former World Superbike champion Guintoli believes the overnight improvement only further underlined how big a force Bagnaia is to be reckoned with.

“It’s just amazing to see Pecco Bagnaia and the Ducati factory team solving the problems, making the puzzle for the Sunday race work,” Guintoli said.

“In the winter testing he was above everybody, but this weekend, until Saturday night, he was really struggling. He had no grip whatsoever at the end of the Sprint race.

“And here he is today, with the same tyres, solving problems and making it work with the race distance, making an aggressive start and getting it all perfect, riding in a better way as well.

“This is why he is the double world champion.”

Bagnaia wasn’t the only rider to stand out at the Lusail International Circuit, as debutant Acosta turned heads in his first MotoGP race.

The 19-year-old reigning Moto2 champion surged up to fourth in the first half of the race after completing eye-catching overtakes on Alex and Marc Marquez, before dropping back down to ninth as his tyres faded.

Although Acosta was unable to maintain his ferocious early pace, former MotoGP rider Laverty believes he did enough to show that there is an exciting future ahead.

“At one point I thought ‘dare to dream’, this could be a podium on his debut,” said Laverty.

“Unfortunately, I think there was some sort of a comfort issue, he was losing grip, we could see the rear walking around on entry. But then he started adjusting himself on the straight.

“But these overtakes against seasoned campaigners in MotoGP, he means business. A class act.

“And so in control of his machine, whether it kicked sideways when he didn’t expect it to, he got it back in line, these overtakes were clinical on experienced campaigners like Alex Marquez on the inside.

“He was at one with his motorcycle. It was a shame he dropped back at the end but still a top-10 finish on your debut is nothing to be sniffed at. But there is more in the locker…an excellent first weekend in MotoGP.”

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