Pecco Bagnaia didn’t hold back after a frustrating Qatar MotoGP sprint, once again blaming the fuel tank setup on his factory Ducati for ruining his chances of a podium finish — or even a shot at victory.

The reigning world champion had shown blistering pace in Friday practice, looking poised to challenge his team-mate Marc Marquez. But Saturday quickly turned into a nightmare. A costly crash in Q2 left Bagnaia stranded in 11th on the grid, and despite his best efforts, he could only claw his way to eighth place in the sprint, finishing over 10 seconds behind Marquez, who stormed to victory.

Bagnaia has previously voiced concerns about the fuel tank configuration used in sprint races, claiming it upsets the balance of the bike and robs him of the aggressive edge he needs to fight through the pack. Once again in Qatar, this issue resurfaced.

“Starting from P11, I expected a tough sprint — it’s been three seasons now that whenever I start at the back, I struggle to overtake,” Bagnaia admitted. “It always feels the same, and the only difference is the fuel tank. We need to improve it.”

What infuriates him most is the contrast between Saturday and Sunday performances: “On Sunday, it’s a totally different feeling. I’m overtaking six or seven riders each lap. If I can do it then, I need to do it on Saturday too. That’s what really makes me angry.”

Reflecting on his Q2 crash, Bagnaia confessed he pushed too hard: “The first run didn’t go as expected. On the second run, everything was better, but I went into Turn 4 too fast and lost it. My mistake.”

Despite the disappointment, Bagnaia remains defiant: “At least we scored two points today when it could’ve been zero. But fighting Marc, you can’t afford these results. Tomorrow, I’ll try to overtake 10 riders in one lap. Let’s set a new record.”

With the championship slipping further from his grasp, Bagnaia knows there’s no room for error — and promises to come back fighting in the Grand Prix.