This Thursday, September 9, 2021, Pecco Bagnaia answered questions from journalists from the Motorland Aragon circuit, ahead of the MotoGP de Aragón Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the Italian rider, who this weekend will try to finally snatch his first victory in MotoGP.
As usual, we report here the words of Pecco Bagnaia without the slightest formatting.
Pecco, you had big problems with your tires during the second part of the race at Silverstone two weeks ago. Did this make you lose confidence in your rubbers?
" I have discussed today with Michelin, and in particular with Piero Taramasso, [head of the MotoGP program within the French tire manufacturer], and I also know that Gigi Dall'Igna [head of the Ducati MotoGP program] spoke with Michelin recently . »
" Today They recognized that my rear tire had not been competitive, but that this was something that could happen, because they cannot know if a rubber is performing well or not. They can only see if it does not present any roughness or damage. I just hope this is something that won't happen again to me or any other rider. »
" After, It's clear that when you hit the track, all you want to do is chase the time, not think about the tires. It is only later that you begin to manage the grip depending on the type of rubber you have on. »
“When you go on the track, you don’t think about the tires”
The two weekends you spent here last year were real disasters for you... Do you think that the increase in temperatures expected this weekend compared to last year will put you in a better position?
" I must say that the editions which preceded that of 2020 were not so bad for Ducati, but it is true that last year we suffered enormously. From memory it was only Zarco who had a good weekend, because he finished fifth. As for me, I had a lot of difficulty because of the conditions, and I remember falling twice while I was braking with the right bike. »
"When such falls happen to you, then you lose a lot of confidence, and it is more difficult for you to attack further. I also had a lot of problems getting the front tire up to temperature. I think this year it will be a different story, because since then I have never encountered this type of problem, I can go out on track and attack straight away, like at Silverstone and at Le Mans, where it was cold but where I showed myself to be competitive from the first round. So it's not a problem like last year, and I think this year it's going to be very different because the temperatures will be higher, and that changes everything. »
Do you think you can still play a role in the championship?
"When I will see that mathematically the championship is no longer playable, then the latter will leave my mind. In the meantime, I intend to be competitive in the last rounds of the season, and I intend to fight for victory until the end. It's not going to be easy, but that's what we're going to try to do. »
