We feared a difficult Grand Prix in the Austrian mountains, rain having sometimes in the past sowed discord during previous races contested in this magnificent place. But the precipitation generously spared the GP, and it was the accidents which hit the headlines and worried the participants, whileAndrea Dovizioso was as much talked about for his magnificent victory as for his scathing divorce from Ducati.
If we added to that the confirmation of the qualities of the KTM (Pol Espargaro in pole position for the second part of the race, Brad Binder fourth in the GP), the brilliance of the Suzuki (on the second step of the podium) and the unknown concerning the reliability of the Yamaha engines, we were all the more interested in the explanations of an expert like Carlo Pernat.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it was a beautiful, exciting and dramatic Sunday. We had a little bit of everything, we didn’t miss anything” explained the Genoese manager to GPOne.com. “The Dovizioso and Ducati victory was fabulous. Let's not forget that Ducati put two riders on the podium. »
“Dovi and his manager Battistella are very good at taking action, while putting out of their heads all the problems that inevitably exist. I know that pilots must have a free mind. »
“It’s a big team victory, also because Miller got on the podium and two Ducatis on the podium is not a small thing. »
Where really is KTM’s current limit?
“KTM did not disappoint me with its bike, since it is now well finished and developed. The problem is Pol Espargaró who is nervous. Probably Binder's victory, before he himself succeeded, made him think in a certain way. »
“But he wasn't lucky either, since in the first round he was playing with Dovizioso, while in the second round he was out of tires, like almost all the drivers. »
What about World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha?
“I see a Quartararo who is under pressure and I didn't expect it, because he is a young man who is always smiling. But beyond the brakes, it is he who is under pressure. »
“It's a bit embarrassing for Viñales, because we expected a lot more from him. »
Could the future be affected by a possible Italian pairing?
“For that we are waiting for Aprilia. If I were at Aprilia, I would think of Dovizioso, but we already have to find the money. »
Photos © Ducati, Michelin, Motogp.com / Dorna, Prosecco (consume in moderation)
