Pecco Bagnaia is the fashionable rider in MotoGP. The Italian has climbed to the top of the podium in the last three races, and is making a spectacular comeback in the general classification. Thus, the Ducati rider has gone from being almost ruled out of the fight for the title to putting Aleix Espargaró and Fabio Quartararo in trouble.
However, at the press conference held this Thursday, prior to the San Marino Grand Prix, Bagnaia wanted to remain calm: “There are a lot of points.”
“I’m very happy to race at home, I’ve been wanting to come here since the beginning of the season,” continued Pecco. “I’m sure it’s going to be a close battle, because Fabio is still competitive; Aleix will also be at the front, with this year’s improved Aprilia; and I think there will be a lot of Italian Ducati riders at the front. So it won’t be easy. “.
There is no questioning the superlative knowledge of the riders at the Valentino Rossi academy in Misano, where they train regularly with series-derived bikes. “I know the circuit perfectly, because it is where we train. But, as I always say, we can test many things and that is not going to prevent the rest of the drivers from being just as competitive”.
When asked if he would be able to go all the way through the ‘curvone’, as he does with the Panigale, he denied between laughs. “I’m not so daring as to try to go flat through the ‘curvone’ with a MotoGP. The 5th [gear] of the Panigale is shorter, and it’s easier to do it flat.”
An obligatory question for Bagnaia was the one referring to the announcement of Enea Bastianini as Ducati’s second official rider in 2023. “I am happy [that Bastianini has been chosen]”, he valued. “I didn’t want to be the one to decide who was going to be my partner, because I think it’s something that is up to the team and not the driver.”
“In any case, I think we will be able to do a good job with Enea. I know him very well, since we were little, so I think we will do a good job. The most important thing will be to teach him the type of work he has to do and allow learn”.
Later, Pecco had to develop this last point to avoid misunderstandings. “When you join a factory team, the way of working is totally different. It’s not like a test […] and at the beginning I think it will cost Enea something. We will have to work like this from the first weekend, and We’ll see if it can work like this.”
He also spoke about the next Misano tests, although he does not plan to release any major news. “I don’t think I’m going to have that much to test. Maybe some aero parts, because that’s what we’re working on now,” he said.
Referring to Andrea Dovizioso’s dismissal from the championship at the auction this weekend, Pecco said it will be a “very emotional” weekend. ” We will keep a very good memory of him, because he has achieved great achievements with Ducati in recent years.”
“He was the only one capable of fighting with a Marc who was at the top, before Fabio arrived. We will miss him, because he has been one of the most transparent people in the paddock,” he said.
Finally, and like the rest of those appearing at the press conference, Bagnaia made an assessment of Marc Márquez’s return to activity. “It’s hard to know how Marc will come back. He’s certainly one of the greatest, and he’ll be fast regardless of when he comes back.”
“Perhaps he needs a little more time, because he hasn’t ridden a motorcycle for three months, but he will surely be one of the fastest,” he said.
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