Third overall in the World Championship, just eight points behind the leader, Fabio Quartararo, and four behind the second, Aleix Espargaró, Enea Bastianini had never seen herself in one of these in her life: reaching the Italian Grand Prix, her home race , as the best transalpine in the general classification and the only rider on the entire grid capable of having repeated victory, up to three times, riding a Ducati.
“It’s a truly special weekend to always get to Mugello,” admitted Enea this Thursday from the Tuscan circuit.
“And this year more, we arrived in a great position, we had a very good race at Le Mans and we got the victory, but here it will be a completely different story because this is a completely different circuit, in addition there are very fast and constant drivers, like Fabio Quartararo, Pecco Bagnaia, Jack Miller or Aleix Espargaró (who accompanied him at the press conference and pointed to them while he quoted them), but I am ready and eager to race at Mugello with fans on the circuit”, something that could not be be last year, in his MotoGP debut, due to the pandemic.
A curious circumstance is that Bastianini has never managed to make a podium on this circuit, not even when he was Moto2 champion, since he did not race then due to the pandemic.
“We will try to get a podium at my home grand prix, in Mugello, I always try, but it is not easy, we will see if we are capable, but honestly being in the top five would be a good result for us. Let’s see tomorrow how is the first day of work on the track?
One of the critical points at Mugello is the long straight and the top speed that the 2021 Ducati, the one piloted by Enea, is capable of achieving there, with a slight change in elevation that can make the difference.
“This year is different for me, I have the device to lower the rear axle on the straights, it will be different since last year we didn’t have it until Austria and I couldn’t use it in Mugello, but that change of gradient has to be managed a bit what’s on the straight, it’s okay to jump, but don’t overdo it,” he said with a laugh.
