MotoGP, Bagnaia: “I have great potential, I just have to use it”

At the moment Pecco Bagnaia is out of Q2 with a 12th time in the morning but plans to solve the problem tomorrow morning without too many problems in FP3, which should be dry. The Ducati rider from Piedmont used the first day at the Red Bull Ring to study and work, which he unfortunately did not complete in the afternoon due to rain.

“I hadn’t raced here last year and it’s always weird to go back to a track that you haven’t been on in a while,” he said. “In the final of FP1, I didn’t fit the new tire and tested a lot. I would say it was a pretty positive lap, considering that I started with the setup for Jack’s electronics and I wasn’t at my best.”

And the wet asphalt?
“We did some tests and figured out how we could improve. Fourth place wasn’t bad. When I think about tomorrow, I definitely have the potential to stay ahead and I have to be able to use it. I am convinced that I can develop even further. “

Given Quartararo’s troubles when it is wet, do you hope for rain?
“I would prefer a dry race because Formula 1 drove here two weeks ago and you have to be careful when braking and cornering not to run over the tire tracks. It’s really slippery. In any case, no matter what conditions we find, I have to be ready. As I said, I felt good today and we are on the right track. “

Yesterday you identified Honda and KTM as your main opponents. And Suzuki?
“You will be absolutely in the game too. I’ve watched them, and they have a scary third sector, but most of all, they manage to unload a lot of power in the first phase of acceleration. You are almost as fast as we are in this phase. So you will be competitive, as will Honda and KTM. I expect a good group race. “

It will be Rossi’s first after the announcement of his resignation. How did you take the news?
“I didn’t know about it, so it surprised me, even though I found out on Thursday morning when the press conference was announced. I knew the news was in the air. It’s a shame, but I was lucky enough to have known him well and spent a lot of time with him. Above all, I feel privileged to be able to race together. He will always be my idol.”