In Jerez there is an Italy that smiles, the one with the face of Pecco Bagnaia, the fastest in the first day of free practice. But there is also another one who cries, represented by Valentino Rossi and his 21st time. These are the two extremes of this beginning of the weekend in Jerez, which ended up under the sign of the Piedmontese, capable of establishing himself even on a historically difficult track for the Bolognese bike. «I simply enjoy myself in the dry lap, I like to push to the limit – says Bagnaia -. The big difference is my confidence with the Desmosedici, it’s an injection of confidence to get out on the track and always see yourself among the first. This does not mean that I feel the leader in Ducati, maybe I will have this kind of pressure later, in case I play for the title. For now, I’m just trying to become a better rider ». He is succeeding, having the better of Quartararo (who precedes him in the championship) and the surprising Aprilia of Aleix Espargaró, without forgetting the 4th time of Morbidelli, who did not even want to mount a new tire in the final.
Rossi’s situation is quite different, entangled in the quicksand of problems that have accompanied him for years. «Since they changed the tires, making them softer – he remembers -. I’ve always preferred to use hard tires in my career and with them I suffer, they slide, I lack grip ». Even today his team tried different moves on the Yamaha, “But the sensations have remained similar and now we don’t have many ideas anymore” the bitter conclusion. The Doctor hoped that on a friendly track (his last podium in Jerez last July) things could change, but it didn’t. A big problem also thinking about the future, considering that the results in this first part of the season will be the ones that will decide whether he will continue or not to race in 2022. “I don’t have this kind of pressure, my only problem is not being fast, not others “he tried to play down.
Jerez was also a special event for Marc Marquez, because he was injured on this circuit 9 months ago, crashing at turn 3. “The first time I passed it I was careful, but then I was the fastest of the Honda riders at that point. He said. The Spaniard ended the day with the 16th time, with his body limiting him. «I did a few laps trying to save energy for the race – he explained -. I still lack strength in my right shoulder and I’m trying to manage the situation ».