“Everyone thinks it’s nicer to battle with the guys from the Academy but for me it’s not, because I’m always afraid of exaggerating and ruining the relationship. I got agitated, but I was faster than Pecco and I managed to overtake him”
Written by Daniela Piazza – Sat, 24/06/2023 – 18:50
Track record, pole position and victory in the Sprint Race, Marco Bezzecchi could not ask for more on the first day of competition in Assen, in which he conquered his first success in his career over the short distance.
“We would need many of these days, unfortunately it’s not always like this, but in the meantime we’re enjoying them” began Bezzecchi, more than satisfied with how his day went: “It was very nice. It went really well here for me, because I already had a good feeling with the bike yesterday and was able to go quite fast. Today I managed to find a little more in the first sector, which had been my weak point yesterday, and in qualifying I managed to do a good lap, especially in that part of the track – he said – Luckily it was good enough, because Pecco was very fast for the rest of the lap and almost caught me. I’m very happy for the Sprint because, apart from Argentina and Mugello, I usually always suffer a little. Having obtained the first victory also in the Sprint is very positive and I am very happy”.
Unlike Francesco Bagnaia, King of the short race with four wins out of eight races, it was on Sunday that the Mooney team standard bearer was always able to give his best.
“Unfortunately now Sunday doesn’t count a damn by itself, Saturday and Sunday count – commented the Bez – For me Saturday is beautiful, in the sense that I like this format and the Sprint. But he has a slightly different approach what if don’t start in front it’s really difficult. There are tracks where it’s a little easier to overtake and others where it’s a little difficult it’s all conditioned by the time attack, which has assumed incredible importance. This is a bit of a pain because you do the time attack all the time and you work less with the bike. Right now the level is very high and they are all very good at setting time. Luckily here I did it right, but that’s where Pecco made the difference, because he’s always been on pole or on the front row, while I alternate a good qualifying with a seventh position, or I stay out of Q2 like in Jerez. I have to improve in this respect and then the result of the Sprints could also change”.
It was then that Marco took his first victory in the short race the great pace shown by the Ducatista throughout the weekendThat it allowed him to recover from a bad start and take back the position on Binder and Bagnaia.
“Honestly, at the start I think I tried to resist Pecco a little too much, which is why I went wide and lost the position also against Brad – explained the Romagnolo – I told myself that I had to try to keep calm, but also to overtake Brad quickly, otherwise Pecco could have gone on the breakaway. I fought a bit with him and luckily I was able to pass him in Turn 9, where I was a little better under braking. Then I tried to go and get Pecco, I also had a good battle with him for a few metres, and luckily I was quite fast once I got in front. I tried to push to go away, because I had Pecco behind me and it’s always difficult to manage the fight with the World Champion. Most of the time he’s in front of me, but not today.”
Speaking of the duel with Bagnaia, he then added: “It’s not easy, because everyone thinks it’s nicer with the guys from the Academy, actually for me it’s a little uglier, in the sense that you’re always afraid of exaggerating a little and ruining the existing relationship. Not only with Pecco, so it was a bit difficult, also because I got a bit nervous, but I was a little faster and managed to pass him. Were you surprised? No, she just asked me if I didn’t piss myself off to risk doing damage, because if Valentino and Carlo happened (Casabianca, the head of the Academy nr) they’d make a bunch of it…” he burst out laughing.
A battle that we could also see in the Dutch GPalthough the Mooney VR46 team rider does not feel he is the favorite for the long race.
“Tomorrow will be very different, because you have to approach the race differently. I’m quite fast, but I think Pecco goes a little better with the medium tyre. Unfortunately I didn’t try it this morning, because I was sure I would race the Sprint with the soft. I hope to be able to get off to a good start and be in the top positions right from the start, to avoid confusion in the pack. I will do my best to try to stay as far forward as possible – said Bezzecchi – I think Pecco is the favorite because he’s usually better than me at managing spin, slide and cornering the bike, with the medium tire. He has a riding style that allows him to corner a lot with the rear and last year too I had the soft while he made the difference with the hard, which is this year’s average. I hope to be able to stay as close to him as possible and if I manage to outwit him I’m happier, but I’ll try to do my best and it will be what it will be.”
In the Speed Cathedral, however, the Romagna rider has the layout of the track on his side, with the fast corners of Assen that enhance Marco’s riding.
“The track is quite technical in all its corners, because the first part, which is rather slow, is followed by a very fast section. For me the most technical corners are 6, 7 and 8 and that’s where it’s more difficult to make a differencebecause the bike moves a lot in Turn 6 and then there’s a quick change of direction where the bike is very heavy. But it’s also the point I like best because it’s very fast and I like fast corners. Plus Turn 8 is steep and it feels like you can give a little extra with every lap, that’s why it’s so much fun” admitted the Bez, who at that point imputes the causes of the numerous track warnings that punctuated the race: “If you look at the points where we go beyond the limits of the track, it usually happens in Turn 8. When you exit the corner you usually go straight, but then the curb forces you to change direction a bit. It’s difficult to control the bike, but it’s a characteristic of the track and we have to adapt.”
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