Almost three weeks after the spectacular crash between Alex Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia at Motorland Aragon, both Ducati riders are showing encouraging signs of recovery and return to form. Their convalescence has not been without its difficulties, however, and during the first race weekend at Misano, both were still feeling the after-effects of that violent collision.
Francis Bagnaia, after a week of rest, returned in top form for the second weekend of racing at MisanoThe reigning world champion impressed in practice by setting a new lap record, even surpassing his pole position of Misano 1. " The last race weekend here was all about focusing on my body on the bike. The fact that I am now 100% fit and can concentrate solely on riding makes a big difference. ", he said. This newfound confidence allows him to approach the end of the season with optimism, despite his slight seven-point deficit on Martin in the general classification. MotoGP.
For its part, Alex Marquez had a more complicated return. Tired and still bothered by an ear problem that made him dizzy, the Spanish driver still finished tenth in the sprint and sixth in the Grand Prix. I had a little problem with my ear that was causing me dizziness. It bothered me a little. He explained.
Alex Marquez: “ It's better now, but not 100% yet »
Despite these difficulties, the youngest of the Marquez is optimistic: " It's better now, but not 100% yet. It's a matter of days or weeks before everything is 100% again.. » He preferred to skip his media appointments to rest and prepare for Monday's tests, thus showing his determination to return to the highest level.
Misano is a circuit where bagnaia has already enjoyed success, with victories in 2021 and 2022. He approaches this weekend with great confidence: “ I think we worked very well in the coordination area. During the tests here, I was not working for the race, but I was rather testing things for next year. » A strategic approach that shows that the Italian has his eyes fixed on the championship, but also on the continuous improvement of his machine.
With only seven points behind George Martin in the world ranking, bagnaia knows that every point counts. To regain the advantage, he will have to return to the top step of the podium, and the Misano circuit could be the ideal place to do so.
bagnaia et Alex Marquez, despite their injuries, are fighting to return to their best level. While bagnaia focuses on the title fight and the search for new victories, Alex Marquez seeks to fully recover to perform at the highest level again. The weekend at Misano looks crucial, not only for the points at stake, but also for the morale of the two drivers. Ducati, who want to prove that they are still at the top of their game after the accident ofAragon.
