There’s Potential to Win
As the European rounds begin, Francesco Bagnaia expressed confidence in Ducati’s compatibility with the upcoming track, but also stressed the importance of checking conditions in light of the disaster that occurred two months ago. Reflecting on last year’s fierce battle with Marc Márquez, Bagnaia showed a composed attitude, recognizing the increased competitiveness of Márquez this season while keeping a clear perspective on the current situation.
Francesco Bagnaia:
“I’m happy the European rounds are starting. This track suits Ducati, but we had a disaster here two months ago, so we’ll proceed while checking the conditions. The last three races were quite different, but last year in particular, the battle with Marc was intense. This season, Marc has stepped up his competitiveness even more and seems to have a good feeling, so I’ll move forward while keeping a clear understanding of the situation.”
“I believe I have the potential to win as well, but at the moment I’m struggling to get a perfect feeling from the bike. Marc seems to be getting a very good feeling with his machine right now, but I believe my level is good enough to fight him.”
“Given Marc’s current form, he could easily finish in second or third without issue. That said, normally a rider aims to win. If I’m to win, improving my starts will be crucial. The situation has improved since the opening round, so I’ll continue working on that.”
“Around 2020, I think Ducati started to become strong at Jerez. In my case, I made significant progress by adjusting the engine braking. I actually went in the completely opposite direction of the settings Dovizioso had used. That change made it possible to aim for the podium. The bike itself was the same, but I believe trends like that can shift depending on setup and riding style.”
“I’m not sure about other manufacturers, but Ducati allows each rider to use slightly different bike specs. We have new items for Monday’s test, so it will be an important session. I’m not sure how things will be at Le Mans, but I personally don’t like to make major changes to the bike.”