The paw is late in coming, but Francesco Bagnaiaa continues to show the serenity of those who are sure to work in the right direction. The Ducati rider closed the second day of the MotoGP collective tests in Mandalika in tenth place, just under half a second behind the surprise of the day, the other Ducati rider Luca Marini, who set the best time with the Mooney GP22 VR46 Racing Team.
The vice-world champion reiterated once again that times are not his priority at the moment, with the focus instead on the management of used tires. Front on which he seems to have obtained excellent answers even today, with a truly respectable pace.
“When you do tests it is always very difficult to understand your level, because there are so many variables. Today, for example, I noticed that many have done two or three time attacks, while our strategy was quite different. they made a similar one to ours were those of Honda and Mir, “said Bagnaia shortly after the checkered flag.
“Someone shares it and, from my point of view, at this moment setting times is useless. It can help you get used to doing time attacks again, but the key thing is to be consistent with used tires on a completely new track. Today we did a great endurance job with the tires, because I took two to 30 laps and with both there were only three tenths between the fastest and the slowest lap. step”.
“It’s something I worked on a lot last year and I’m happy to be able to continue in this direction with the new bike. I feel safe, because I have total confidence in Ducati: I know we are working well and that we will arrive with the best possible package in Qatar, “he added, showing himself to be quite accomplished.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
At the conclusion of the tests in Malaysia he said that if there was a race the next day, he would fight for the positions that matter. Sensation that he also confirmed on the new Indonesian track. If anything, what worries him is the stones that dirty the track, which in a race situation could be real bullets.
“In the tests it is always very difficult to understand the values, but it seems to me so. The Hondas seem very fast to me at the moment, but this is a track that suits us well too, even if we still lack to understand two or three We’ve been riding a lot for two days anyway and today I set my record on a MotoGP, because I’ve never done 83 before. “
“We are trying to understand as much as possible, but even here, if there were to be a race tomorrow, I think we would be competitive. The problem would be more the stones that the bikes throw if we are in a group. Today one hit me and I it hurt a lot, so it’s a bit of a problem if they don’t clean the track well for the race. “
While there has already been a steady progression, Pecco seems convinced that there is still so much potential to unleash the new Desmosedici GP22 and has also indulged in a statement that could scare off the competition.
“We have made progress every day and we have succeeded even today. We are not yet at 100% of the bike’s potential, which is higher, but we have found some interesting solutions and I think we have brought out 80% of the potential of the bike. GP22, so we still have some work to do “.
“The worst thing is that we only have one day of testing before the start of the World Championship and it looks like it could rain tomorrow. However, I think we have put together a package that can work in Qatar, even if we can do more.”
Today he worked extensively with the shorter version of the exhaust, the one that was used last year: “We tried them both and it seems that the long one does not give us the advantage we were hoping for on this track. Since the exhaust is something of a interchangeable over the course of the season, we’re trying something different, because this isn’t a track where the longer one can make a difference, because there aren’t many hairpins, so it doesn’t help us that much. “
Finally, he also commented on the voices that want him very close to the signing of the renewal until 2024, which could also arrive before the inaugural race in Qatar: “Let’s hope, come on. I won’t hide it, we work well together, we feel good and we want to story. I think it is very nice that it is so “.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: MotoGP
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