Francesco Bagnaia says he left the Malaysian Grand Prix feeling more optimistic than after his stunning double win in Japan, as he and Ducati made real progress in understanding their recent ups and downs.

The factory Ducati rider showed strong form at Sepang. He took pole position, dominated Saturday’s sprint race, and was running solidly in third during Sunday’s main race before an unexpected puncture forced him to retire just a few laps from the finish.

Although the result was disappointing, Bagnaia said the weekend was an important step forward after two difficult rounds where he failed to score any points.

“Even if I scored fewer points than in Motegi, I’m leaving here with a clearer idea,” Bagnaia explained to MotoGP.com. “In Japan, everything felt perfect straight away — the bike worked beautifully, but we didn’t really understand why. Here in Malaysia, we started with problems on Friday and improved step by step. That makes me happier.”

On Friday, Bagnaia was almost caught out by a short rain shower that left him starting from Q1. But overnight, he and his crew made big changes that paid off, delivering a surprise pole position on Saturday. He then led every lap of the sprint, showing strong race pace and confidence.

On Sunday, he looked ready to fight for another podium, or even the win, before a rear tyre puncture ended his hopes.

“From one lap to another, I started losing performance,” he said Motorsport.com. “The data later showed the puncture happened around lap 12. I tried to keep going, but I couldn’t control the braking or open the throttle properly. By lap 18, I had to stop.”

Bagnaia had chosen the medium front tyre, while race winner Alex Márquez and second-placed Pedro Acosta preferred the softer option. Despite some riders saying the medium was a mistake, Bagnaia still believes it could have worked well if not for the tyre issue.

“It’s hard to say if it was the right choice,” he admitted Crash.net. “I felt strong on the brakes and thought I was managing the tyres well. Maybe in the final laps I could have been even faster.”

Even without a race finish, Bagnaia took encouragement from the progress made with his Ducati. The team now has a clearer understanding of how to regain the ideal bike balance that carried him to victory earlier in the season.

Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi finished 11th for Aprilia, earning five points. That result, combined with Bagnaia’s retirement, means the defending champion has slipped to fourth place in the MotoGP standings.

Still, Bagnaia remains confident: “We’ve learned a lot this weekend. We’re getting closer to finding the perfect feeling again — and that’s the most important thing.”