The first qualifying session of the year ended yesterday in Qatar, with pole position for Jorge Martín. Enea Bastianini, for his part, signed a very convincing result with second place on the grid. The Italian rider from the Gresini MotoGP team will start this Sunday for the first time from the front row in the premier category.
We transcribe his entire remarks here.
Enea, last year the qualifying exercise was one of your weak points in the GP19, but all that seems to be a bad memory now with the all-new GP21. You must be satisfied to find yourself on the first row of the grid?
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I am really happy with this second place obtained today. I worked a lot during the winter tests to arrive ready here in Qatar. It's true that last year it was very difficult for me to do time attacks with the GP19, but now with this new bike everything is easier: the power is delivered more gently, and with soft tires. I was able to attack well. My racing pace is good, but it is also the case for the Suzukis, for Jorge Martín and even for Marc Márquez. So I think the race is going to be particularly difficult for me, especially since it's the very first time I've started from the first row of the grid. For once I won't have to make up many positions! I am happy with the work done by the team and by me. »
“For once I won't have to make up many positions! »
Last year you delivered superb performances, even fighting for the podium, even though you started from the fourth, fifth or even sixth row. Do you think that with a start from second place you can fight for victory?
« I don't know if I have the potential, but I'll try. The tires will of course play an important role. Medium and soft tires are very close in terms of performance. We therefore have to go back to the data collected to determine which tire is the best for the race. »
What type of racing are you expecting?
« I don't really know, we need to have a more precise idea of the potential of all the other bikes. I remember last year a large group formed in the race, but I think it should be smaller this year, especially in the last five or six laps. The most important thing will be, as always, to save tires, and then we will see which bike will perform better in the very last part of the race.
How do you prepare for the race? Do you hold some kind of strategy meeting to determine what plans to implement during the event?
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It is clear that this Sunday I will experience a race different from those I have experienced so far, when I started further back on the grid. For once I won't have all these positions to catch up on. Once again it's going to be a difficult race for me, but I have to make a point of managing my tires well to be very competitive in the last five or six laps. This is really the most important thing, especially since the other riders, especially those from Suzuki, are very fast on worn tires. The idea is to finish on the podium, but I don't know if that is possible. »
“Suzuki riders are very fast with worn tires”
Which bike has impressed you the most so far this weekend?
« The Suzukis can show a lot of speed in corners, but on our side at Ducati we are able to brake really late. Everything will depend in the race on the track conditions, because at the moment they change very quickly between the morning and the afternoon. »
Last year you became an expert in performing very fast laps at the very end of the race. Was this exclusively linked to your ability to take care of your bike during the event?
« It's true that I have some ways of saving tires for the end of the race. This is going to be my first race with the GP21, and I have no idea how I'm going to do. The most important thing will be to stay focused in all circumstances and to understand everything that is happening around me. It's only the first race of the season, and I need to understand how to manage starts from the front row of the grid. We'll see how it all works out in the race. »
