Perhaps for the first time in 2024, Marco Bezzecchi gave the sensation of having what it takes to fight for a victory in the Mandalika Sprint. After having achieved an excellent first row in qualifying, also making amends for a crash at the end of Q2, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 driver established himself in the leading group and in the central part of the short race, in which he also placed a couple of fast laps, he even gave the sensation of being able to attack the leader Pecco Bagnaia.
With seven laps to go, however, his hopes of scoring a coup went up in smoke, because he ended up very long at turn 10, avoiding hitting Bagnaia by a hair’s breadth. Ending up on the escape route, he was also overtaken by the other two Ducatis of Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini, then finding himself fourth alone. Once he arrived at the usual interviews, however, the Rimini native explained that it wasn’t his mistake, but something quite unpredictable.
“It was a big risk. Honestly, I didn’t expect it: I took a hit in the previous change of direction, as had happened to me other times during the weekend, but this time the brake pads had opened. When I braked , the brake lever reached the knob, so I had to let go of it and then pull it again”, explained Bezzecchi, admitting that he was quite scared.
Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team
Photo credit: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“I really didn’t expect it, because it had never happened to me during the weekend, so I approached braking to brake hard, otherwise I would have braked earlier. Fortunately I managed to avoid causing a disaster with Pecco, but it’s a shame, although another fourth place is positive and we have another chance tomorrow,” he added.
In the last few races, Bezzecchi has shown that he has become a master of tire management. For example, at Misano he finished fourth with the soft on the rear and today he was the only one in the top positions to have risked it on the front. And it seemed like it could have been a winning choice: “I think I could have stayed with them. Maybe I would have finished fourth anyway, but being part of the fight. I usually don’t feel bad with the soft, because it allows you to stop well. In the end, however, I’m fourth…”
For tomorrow, however, we should switch to the medium on the rear, even if Marco tries to leave the door open to a different choice: “It will certainly be difficult to use the soft tomorrow, but I will analyze the data in depth, because I want to understand if there is a possibility , because I’m always in favor of the soft on this track, objectively it’s very hard. But I feel pretty good even with the medium here, so I could still be as fast as today.”
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