MotoGP, Bagnaia: “I would have been the best Ducati rider, I was like the Suzuki”

Pecco Bagnaia had said Valencia could be where he shone again on the Ducati and that was the case in the race today. The problem was that his race only lasted seven laps, which Pecco completed before he had a devastating crash at Turn 2. however, the future Ducati factory rider put a lot of pressure and reproduced the pace that was kept by the two Suzuki riders at the top. In short, a wasted opportunity leaving Bagnaia eager to make amends in the last two races of the season.

But before we talk about today’s race Bagnaia commented on Luca Marini’s arrival in MotoGP in 2021. Valentino Rossi’s brother is the fourth VR46 Riders Academy rider to reach the top level, alongside Rossi himself, Morbidelli and Bagnaia, who will share the Ducati colors with Marini.

“It’s true that a new generation of drivers is coming, but veterans are always strong too – commented Bagnaia – I think Marquez will be at the same level as before when he comes back, he has already clearly shown that he is a winner and will return to the top, but it is clear that in all sports there are young people who are always a little faster. The generation change is in everything, it will probably come here too. Moto2 was very preparatory for everyone and I’m happy to have Luca Marini at Ducati next year so we can talk a little about the bike. If I can help him, I’ll help him too. The Ducati is a complicated bike so if I can help him get on the right track it will surely be an asset to him. “

But now let’s talk about the present and a bug that compromised a race in which you seemed to have very high potential.

“It was my mistake, I didn’t use the potential of my bike well – Bagnaia admitted – I was really strong and fast today, but I started too far back. I had to push a lot, on lap 5 I was the fastest driver on the track with the two Suzuki and I tried to fill the gap. If you start from behind, you have to push too hard. It was the first time I used these tires in the race, it was difficult. I braked a little harder at Turn 2 and fell, my mistake. A rookie mistake. At least I found Misano’s good feelings and that’s fine. Now I have to learn to stay more focused in the first phase of the race. My potential today was to finish in the top six and instead I fell. I hope to find dry conditions here next weekend to be able to work on it a bit “.

Did you risk your bike setup after the warm-up?

“Today the bike was different, we tried a setup that we had never experimented with before, a game of chance after warming up. The bike was perfect, but I have to do more laps in this configuration. I think we’ll be as fast as we are today next weekend, but I really have to finish a race. I didn’t finish in three races due to various problems, next time I want to be as fast as today and finish. It will be vital to start in at least the first two rows because starting from the back makes everything too complicated. I want to finish at least two in the top five in the last two races. I think I have the potential, that’s my goal. I’ll try, we’re working hard to get back to the top. I have to make better use of my potential. “

After all, you got the speed back from Misano …

“It’s a shame I only drove seven laps, but that’s the way it is. Today I really made a big mistake but it was a difficult weekend. The start with so many unknowns wasn’t easy, I didn’t know how I would have been with the front tire, which in the end let me down. But it was the right choice, I just got the wrong approach to the race. I was too fast right away I was much faster than the front riders and immediately wanted to make up too much time. I came out of Turn 1 very strongly, so I arrived a little more strongly at the same braking point on the lap before Turn 2. I briefly insisted on the brakes and Turn 2 was the most treacherous of the whole weekend, I should have expected that and didn’t make a rookie mistake. We all know you learn from your mistakes, I just have to do this now. I am confident of the sensations found here “.

Do you think these mistakes will hit you next weekend? Maybe you want to finish the race without taking too much risk?

“I don’t usually get conditioned, but At turn two next weekend, I think I’ll be a tenth slower. It is better! Above all, I want to finish the race, at Aragon 1 I crashed stupidly. At Aragon 2 I broke the engine, here I crashed on lap 7. This is not good, we have a lot more potential Today I could have been the best Ducati rider. I have to learn, grow and accept that In MotoGP you always have to be at the limit, but with your head. Today it was too early to push like that on lap 7.