Mugello is always special for Pecco Bagnaia and he confirmed it today too. The Ducati rider, who won the last two editions of the Italian Grand Prix, adding last year’s Sprint success, opened the weekend by being the fastest on Friday, coming within about a tenth of the up-and-down record Tuscan that already belongs to him.
A nice injection of optimism for the reigning world champion, who in his home race wants to continue on the wave of the success achieved last Sunday in Barcelona. Although, as always, he also tried to play up the enthusiasm for his performance today
“Being first is always nice, but it wasn’t the main focus, because Friday is always about being in the top 10. I’m happy because it went quite well for me, but in the last four weekends I’ve always felt good since Friday. This helps us a lot for be more ready the next day, so I’m satisfied because we worked in the right way and I think that tomorrow we’ll take a further step”, said Bagnaia at the end of the day.
His 1’44.938 came with a couple of minutes to spare before the checkered flag, so the #63 was in the pits at the end when his rivals tried to respond to him. However, he made it clear that there was no intention of sending messages to anyone: “I had done my lap and I knew that it would be enough to stay in the top 10. I didn’t do it with any strategy or to induce anything from others. I honestly don’t give a damn.”
Tomorrow will be a crucial day, because in the last three Sprints there have only been withdrawals, so a recovery on this front would be needed. And Mugello, with its three consecutive successes, seems the ideal hunting ground: “Two, because the Sprint doesn’t count”, he immediately clarified. “I hope to finish it in the meantime and get a good result. The potential is there, but we need to be able to do everything well.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The thing that could worry the competition, however, is that according to Pecco there is some margin and it is still quite large: “We need to improve the turning of the bike a little, because I lose a little time to get it to finish turning, but we already have made a step today, so we know the direction to follow. However, I think they will remove about six tenths from the record, so tomorrow it will be 1’44″2”.
There was actually a small flaw in his day, because he ended up under investigation for a possible impediment at Correntaio to the detriment of Alex Marquez. The Ducati rider, however, believes he has done nothing wrong: “I have to go to Race Direction. I think it’s ridiculous for what happened, but I’ll hear what they have to say and I’ll explain my version. Obviously make a bit of a show when they happen certain things help to give penalties. He played in the best way he could. However, I was off the line during braking, but he put on a great show as usual…”
For his part, the Gresini Racing driver gave his version of events: “I was doing a fast lap, improving my lap times, and he was driving very slowly, from the second sector onwards. I expected that at a certain point he turned, but that wasn’t his plan. When I got to the Correntaio he braked in a very dangerous situation. I managed to avoid him, but he ruined my lap. He says he was off the line, but that’s not the case There’s an ongoing investigation, so it’s no longer up to me.”
We are therefore now waiting to understand whose side the college of commissioners will take. But these days making predictions is almost impossible, maybe it’s easier to get 6 in the Superenalotto…
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