Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia has blasted out at other MotoGP riders for purposefully slowing down in British GP qualifying in order to seek a tow from him, characterising the scenario as “ridiculous”.

Bagnaia was followed by Gresini’s Marc Marquez on their initial runs in Saturday’s pole-deciding practice at Silverstone, with the increased aerodynamic boost allowing the Spaniard to earn a provisional sixth on the grid.

After the double champion returned to the track in the final portion of qualifying on fresh rubber, a huge bunch of riders positioned themself behind him – some even waiting for him to pass them on the Wellington Straight in order to sneak into his slipstream.

A loose sponsorship sticker on his visor disrupted his flying lap attempt and dropped him to second on the grid, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro grabbed a surprise pole position by running alone on track.

Bagnaia, who had seemed ready to start the race from the front after smashing the lap record on his first run, didn’t hide his irritation with the methods utilised by some of his rivals on Saturday.

Asked if he was unhappy to miss out on pole, the 27-year-old said: “A bit because the potential was there to do pole position.

“We have to say Aleix did an amazing sector 4 and all the weekend has been really fast. We know that the Aprilia on this track is fantastic.

“I also have to say that the situation in qualifying right now is quite ridiculous considering that 10 MotoGP riders can go slow like this to follow other riders. We are at the top of our sport.

“If we are here because we can do things alone. It’s quite ridiculous, the situation.

“’Till anyone says anything, it will continue like.”

Bagnaia was just starting the first flying lap of his second in qualifying when he was forced to pull over to the side of the track and remove a sticker that had come partially undone just above the visor.

A late yellow flag for a crash involving the second factory Aprilia of Maverick Vinales put paid to any chances of the Italian recovering pole position from Espargaro.

Bagnaia was “very angry” that a poorly-glued sticker had potentially deprived him pole.

“I lost the sponsor banner on the helmet and it goes in front of the eyes,” he added.

“I’m very angry for that because it’s something that who had to manage these kind of things has to be more precise.

“Losing the possibility of a better result in qualifying for things like this is not good.”