Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia made a spectacular debut at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In the pre-qualifying sessions, he won with a record time of 1:30, placing himself at the head of the field and sending a clear message to his rivals: he is ready to dominate this weekend at Misano.
Despite sensational weather, Pecco Bagnaia remains cautious and highlights the tricky track conditions. Really strange feeling on the track. I felt very slow, I did the first lap in 32.9, slowing down because Miller was on the ground. There is a lot of lack of grip in the first acceleration phase, which always happens when it has rained. » With this careful analysis, Pecco once again demonstrates his ability to adapt, exploiting the rare moments of grip to achieve incredible times. Martin and I have the difference, especially in the racing pace " he adds, aware of his domination next to Jorge Martin.
The predictions of Davide Tardozzi, who thinks that the drivers could go below the 1'30 mark, did not leave Pecco indifferent. Usually when Davide says something, This does not always happen. » A touch of irony to remind us that the track remains unpredictable. Nevertheless, bagnaia admits that improvements are possible: " Today we did 30.2. Tomorrow, there will be more grip, but it will also be colder. » The challenge will be significant with a medium front tire that suffers in left turns.
Pecco Bagnaia: “ with Jorge Martin we were faster than the third Marc Marquez by four tenths in terms of race pace »
bagnaia continues on the configuration of its Ducati : " we started with the same base as Misano 1 because the other time we were slowed down from a physical point of view and we were not able to do a good job “, he confides. “ A few adjustments allowed his bike to gain stability when exiting bends, an asset that could make the difference in a race where every millisecond counts ».
In front of the press, bagnaia stressed his superiority and that of George Martin : "We were even four tenths faster than the third in terms of race pace.. » An advance which testifies to the domination of the two drivers this Friday. Despite a competition which should increase in strength on Saturday, Pecco is confident: " Jorge and I will certainly be among the strongest »
Without wanting to evoke a spirit of revenge after Misano 1, bagnaia prefers to focus on this new opportunity: “ I feel like I have another opportunity to score points. I see it this way.. » A statement full of determination, as every point counts in the fight for the title.
With this solid start, optimized settings and a detailed analysis of the track conditions, Pecco Bagnaia seems ready to face all the challenges that Misano could reserve for him. The suspense remains for the qualifications and the upcoming Sprint, where he will have to confirm this domination against a George Martin just as sharp.
MotoGP, Misano 2: J1 chronos