Marco Bezzecchi's recent podium at Jerez not only marked a turning point in his MotoGP season, but was also a source of great joy for Valentino Rossi, influential mentor and iconic figure in the motorcycle world. This success comes after a somewhat difficult start to the season for Bezzecchi, who struggled to find the right rhythm with his Desmosedici GP23.
Marco Bezzecchi, after a checkered start to the season, finally shone Jerez, landing his first podium of the year. “ We really needed such a result, after having had some difficulties during the first Grands Prix ", said Bezzecchi. THE Monday test was also productive, helping the rider to better understand his bike and experiment with new technical solutions with his team, Pertamina Enduro VR46.
His weekend was marked by a fall during the Saturday sprint, an incident which affected several pilots, but he recovered superbly during the main race. " I'm happy to have been competitive throughout the weekend and it was exhilarating to fight with Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia. I tried to follow Pecco, but he was just too fast. However, I managed to overtake Marquez on several occasions, which makes me very happy with my performance », he shared with motosan.es.
Valentino Rossi, present at Jerez to support Bezzecchi and the team VR46, played a crucial role in the young driver’s career. “ Vale gave me a lot of advice during this time. It was great to have him with us, he helped me a lot, especially at the departure level », expressed Bezzecchi.
Valentino Rossi: “ over time we will see if it was the right choice »
Red was particularly happy with the results Jerez, especially because Pecco Bagnaia, another protégé of the VR46 Riders Academy, won the race, while Bezzecchi finished third. “ We are very happy for Bez. I feel very responsible towards him because I convinced him to stay in our team to race with the 2023 Ducati ", told Valentino Rossi at Sky Sport MotoGP. “ He believed in it, even if this bike seems more complicated to adjust and ride. The start of the season was difficult, but I knew that by persevering and working well with the team, he would get there »
The decisions of Red to encourage Bezzecchi to stay with the same team and the same technical group, in particular the team leader Matteo Flamigni, were based on the belief that continuity would be the best path for the young driver's growth. “ In time we will see if it was the right choice, but for now Jerez can be seen as a promising new start" , concluded Red, optimistic for the future of his protégé.
