Francesco Bagnaia has expressed that he is “not prepared to race in Valencia” following the severe flooding that has devastated the region, even if it means sacrificing the MotoGP title.
This week, Valencia and its surrounding areas have been hit hard by deadly floods, leading to a rising death toll that has surpassed 150 as recovery efforts continue.
In response, MotoGP has canceled its season finale in Valencia and is currently looking for an alternative venue. Before the official announcement, Bagnaia had already made his stance clear regarding the race.
“It depends on where it is held, because I don’t think it is fair in any case for it to be held in Valencia,” he stated during his debrief at the Malaysian GP.
“I sincerely hope that they will take into consideration the fact that, on an ethical level and given what is happening, it is not the right thing to do. Even at the cost of losing my ultimate goal, which is to win the title, I am not prepared to race in Valencia.”
Currently, Bagnaia is 17 points behind Jorge Martin in the championship standings, meaning a cancellation could significantly affect him more than his Pramac rival.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the season’s conclusion, Bagnaia’s focus remains unchanged after finishing first in practice at Sepang.
“Honestly no,” he remarked when asked if the situation altered his mindset.
“I know that the important thing is to win; I have to win in any case, so for me the objective is that one. I wanted to start well, work well, and try to be constant and competitive in every situation.
“It’s from Assen that I was not leading both [Friday] sessions, and it’s the second time in my career, so this is great. But we have to be focused on this race weekend and try to do the maximum.”