Sonic, hero of a Japanese video game, waves the checkered flag at the finish line: Batman passes first, then Shark, the Beast. The Texan track of Austin overturns the usual plot of the MotoGp, and tells a story that seems like a comic. Unpredictable, fun. On the day of Ducatisti doubts, with a Bagnaia prisoner of his own certainties and only 5th, theAprilia con Vinales. The Masked Rider takes the GP of the Americas, doubles after the sprint on Saturday. But above all he launches the all-Italian challenge to those bullies of Borgo Panigale, who with the arrival of Marc Marquez they thought they were bullying the rest of the grid but now they find themselves dealing with Noale and those jewels of the RS-GPs. The first Red, led by Enea Bastianiniclimbs onto the lowest step of the podium because there is also a Ktm and the guide Pedro Acostaa rookie who has the talent and character of a veteran.
Bagnaia in difficulty
He still leads the standings Jorge Martin4th at the finish but never a protagonist: Martinator now has a 21 point lead in the standings over the Beast, who however clearly overtook him at the end and also defended his place in the official team Ducati next year. And Pecco? Still anonymous, in difficulty: after Portugal’s fall with the Cannibal and the half-match on Saturday, another lukewarm broth: the world champion is now 4th in the ranking, also surpassed by the ambitious Maverick. They say that the secret of this rodeo was the tyre: in the Ducati garage they fitted the soft one, which had already caused problems. He won over those who bet on the average – Vinales, Acosta -, so what Gigi Dall’Ignathe engineer at the head of the red army, will have to ask himself some questions and answer them to the truth, because in 2 weeks we will run to Jerez de la Frontera and no other uncertainties are allowed.
The party for Vinales and Aprilia
Marc Marquez, with last year’s Ducati license plate Gresini, he tried to surprise everyone and halfway through the race he took the lead, but it lasted a few moments: turn 11, another tumble. Maverick Vinales hugs Massimo Rivolaad di Aprilia Racing, and he almost feels like crying, also because he hadn’t won a GP for more than 3 years. «Since the penultimate race of the past season, the engineers have modified the bike for my riding characteristics: since then, we have always been in front. I made some mistakes, but here in Texas I was perfect.” He recently chose another nickname: Batman. And like the hero of Gotham City, he flies uncatchable. «I wrote the story, I’m still dreaming». He started from pole, but he made a semi-disaster: thanks to a clutch problem, he found himself 11th. «From that moment on, I made one pass after another. And I felt the public pushing me to give even more.” They say that from a technical point of view he has always been the fastest on the grid: the Catalan lacked character, but today – with this Italian bike – he promises to be a great protagonist of the championship.
Acosta, splendid second place
Pedro Acosta, the Shark of Mazarròn, drove the audience crazy by dueling with everyone: «I had nothing to lose», he says. Simple, bold. Bastianini keeps the pride of the Italian riders high, a podium which is worth double for the boy from Rimini: «I started well but I was betrayed by my desire to take the lead straight away, then I lost a few positions halfway through the race. In the end I raised the pace.”