Johann Zarco is favored by the Italians to lead the Ducati battalion to victory in MotoGP. The return to Austria will in this sense be essential for the rest of the season of the armed troops in Desmosedici who are fighting in dispersed order against a solid Fabio Quartararo leader and at the top of his form. The Red Bull Ring track, in fact, is known as being the favorite playground of the powerful Desmosedici and on the contrary an ordeal for the Yamaha. It is therefore imperative to make a mark, but there are three on the GP21 to share the points. There will therefore also be an intense internal struggle because the one who emerges at the head of the Italian clan from these two meetings in Styria will undoubtedly also be the one on whom we will then concentrate efforts in Borgo Panigale...
Given the atmosphere and the stakes, one might have thought that the favorite of our transalpine neighbors was their compatriot Pecco Bagnaia, which is also dressed in official red. But it does not seem that this is the case since the interest is rather focused on the French Johann zarco which, remember, rides in a satellite team. A status that never fails to emphasize Marco Melandri. On the Gazzetta Dello Sport, he says thus: “ Ducati absolutely must win in Austria if they want to win the world championship. But there is a lack of regularity, they don't have the drivers ready. The most mature is Zarco, but I don't think they would like him to be a satellite pilot. Miller faded a bit after the wins. Bagnaia understood that he had to change his approach in the first part of the race, because he lost a lot of Grands Prix in the first ten laps. In Austria he can achieve his first victory ».
For its part, Dario Marchetti asserts on MowMag about the new organization Ducati : " the new drivers are young and motivated. You could say they have three opportunities, but I see Zarco very well. At the Red Bull Ring it could be a Ducati hat-trick, but I see him as the favorite. He's the one who made the fewest mistakes ».
“The Red Bull Ring will be the turning point and we will understand who will be number one at Ducati”
He adds : " the factory drivers are perhaps a little more favorite, because it is also their duty anyway. But I saw Bagnaia who got off to a very good start and got a little lost, especially in practice. And in racing, he often lacks consistency from the first to the last lap, which pays off in today's MotoGP. Miller, it's fabulous, but it's irregular. And Zarco, quietly, is the one who made the fewest mistakes. Also in Portugal it fell due to a technical problem ».
« In 2020, when this serious accident with Morbidelli happened, he was having a great race. And Ducati's engine superiority is almost embarrassing: Bagnaia, who struggled a little in the Assen corners outside the variant, made a frightening difference. The others seemed to have stopped. However, I think that at the Red Bull Ring it will be the turning point and we will understand who will be the number one at Ducati, therefore Quartararo's first opponent, even if Fabio's biggest opponent is probably himself. But in Austria, Yamaha could fall behind KTM, Suzuki...I wouldn't be surprised to find them fifth or sixth. I think they will suffer ».
Looking forward to the return to Austria, hoping that healthy emulation does not turn into collective suicide following a fratricidal war. If Johann zarco actually came out on top of this melee Ducati, it will be interesting to see if the theory of Marco Melandri wanting the MotoGP title to be prohibited to a satellite rider is verified.
