Misano MotoGP: Front tyre issue halts Stefan Bradl’s podium challenge

Stefan Bradl was left to rue a front tyre issue that cost him a golden opportunity to claim a career first MotoGP podium in his 100th world championship appearance in Misano.

The German held third place from the opening lap until lap 19 of 27 when he suddenly dropped rapidly out of contention.

The LCR Honda rider had hounded Valentino Rossi in the early laps and he looked comfortable in third when he suddenly encountered an issue with his Bridgestone front tyre.

He lost third to Alvaro Bautista on lap 19 and then slipped further out of podium contention on lap 24 when Andrea Dovizioso and Ben Spies swept by.

He eventually finished in a distant sixth and he said: “At the beginning I was not fully confident with my front tyre and throughout the race it became worse and worse.

“Then in the last laps I even felt something wrong in the front but we do not know what happened exactly and must check the data with the technicians. Once I arrived at the garage we noticed that I had very low front tyre pressure and we are going to investigate.

“In those conditions I was not capable to stop the bike on braking so I was losing positions. It’s very frustrating because we were in a good shape and I could gain my first MotoGP podium.”

For nine pages of news and views from Misano, see the September 19 issue of MCN.