There are nerves at Ducati house. The spearhead of the Borgo Panigale project, Pecco Bagnaia, has raised enormous expectations in the forecasts prior to the start of the season, which already place him as a clear candidate for the title and the man who should emulate Casey Stoner’s feat in 2007 .
However, things are not going as expected at the moment. Bagnaia , which has renewed its contract with the Italian house until the end of 2024, scrapped the latest engine devised by Borgo Panigale guru Gigi Dall’Igna and stepped back with a hybrid version brought to testing last year, dragging his partner Jack Miller on that step back.
The paradox of the situation is that Jorge Martín, with the engine discarded by Bagnaia, achieved the first pole position of the year, that the second was Enea Bastianini, with a motorcycle from last year, while the front row was completed by Marc Márquez, two years out of action due to injury, with a completely new bike that threatens to ruin the ‘rosso’ dream. To make matters worse, Marc made his second start in Q2 at the wheel of Bagnaia…
“We already know how Marc behaves in these situations, but he’s fine,” said Bagnaia when asked about Márquez ‘s maneuver, following him on the track.
“I tried to do my best, although it was definitely not my best qualifying,” admitted the Turin man.
But not everything is gray for the Italian talent, who sought to see the glass half full.
“The good news is that I have found the feeling with the front end again, although the problem is that it has only happened in FP4, so I have had little time to work on it. But it was also the first time since the beginning of the year I used the same bike for two sessions in a row”, he explained.
Qatar has always been a circuit where the Ducati have been able to show off their muscle, but the reality is that last year Yamaha won the two races held on this track.
“Compared to a lot of other tracks, starting ninth here is not too much of a problem. Maybe not as much as it can be at Jerez or other circuits. There’s a long straight and then in the first few laps you can’t push 100%, because the tires have a lot of wear, so it’s a little less of an issue,” referring to starting from the third row.
The pressure that is being exerted on Bagnaia is overwhelming, all the Italian media opened up big headlines in the previous ones, which was the year that it was time to win the title. Pecco accepts his part, but warns that it won’t be easy.
“It is obvious that my goal this year is to win. I would like to say that there is a chance to do it tomorrow, but to be realistic and believable you have to say that the goal could be to be in the top five. Not because I am superstitious, but because now I myself have not shown that I have the necessary pace to fight for the podium or victory,” he warned.
Bagnaia has not been able to focus too much on the pace, and is waiting to see how the race unfolds.
“Suzuki and Honda are very strong. Marquez is in good form, but also Quartararo, who will start behind me. But if we do everything right, I think we can be in the top five or fight for the front.”
For the Italian, the Malasi test was useless, as the 2022 engine was discarded, and in Indoesia he had to test three engines before deciding on the 21-22 hybrid.
“I knew it was going to be more difficult, we have done a lot of tests, maybe too many considering the few days of testing, but in any case it is correct. I am happy to be in the factory team and to have had to do so many tests, but if today we are not ahead it is because I need to find the feeling again”, he stressed.
“Today I was finally able to think a bit more about myself, but that’s part of being a factory rider. Unfortunately, it took us a little longer than others, but finally we were able to find the balance that I was missing and the feeling that I had last year. That’s the most positive thing about today”, he continued putting the situation on a positive plane.
How could it be otherwise, Pecco was asked about his brand mates who finished first and second.
“Among the Ducati riders, the one in the best position is without a doubt Enea, because he has a bike already defined and during the tests he has not had to try anything, he has only had to think about riding and gain confidence. But, without a doubt, Today he has been very good, nothing to say about it, because he has been very fast in a situation in which last year it cost him a lot of work, such as qualifying”, evaluated the Gresini rider, who rides a GP21.
“But the one who has impressed me the most has been Jorge, because he is the only one who has been able to exploit the potential of this bike, so he has been the best of the Ducati riders. He came in, pushed and managed to overcome the problems. race is tomorrow, and that is always something separate. But he has been a little faster, “settled.
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