Even if it was only the seventh round of a championship that includes 21 events, the French GP of Le Mans has sent very precise signals on the current season. Particularly interesting is the situation that is being created within the thick and fierce Ducati patrol, no less than eight on the starting grid, where surprisingly the best rider is one of the few who does not enjoy an official vehicle: Aeneas Bastianinthe. The ‘Beast’ in fact, under the Gresini team, drives a Desmosedici GP21. With this, however, he has won three victories in seven races and is now in third place in the general classification, just eight points behind the leader Fabio Quartararo. Not only that: in the race beyond the Alps, Bastianini beat the pupil of the official Ducati team in a ‘direct clash’. Pecco Bagnaia.
The native of Chivasso first went long and then stretched out in an attempt to resist the pressure brought by Bastianini. The two could find themselves both dressed in red next year, with the rider from Rimini being the favorite to join Bagnaia in the official team. Between the two Italians, however, there was no lack of some slight teasing: the # 63 has publicly declared that he hopes for the permanence in Jack Miller’s team; the # 23 for its part replied by admitting that he tried to mislead the compatriot. Trying to manage this intricate situation is, among others, Gigi Dall’Igna, general manager of Ducati Corse. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, the 55-year-old engineer spoke of the possible coexistence between the two ‘roosters’ and, above all, of the chances of finally seeing a Ducati rider win the drivers’ title this year.
“I would have liked to have seen them both cross the finish line – said Dall’Igna in reference to the final race of Le Mans – it would have been an all-Ducati podium, with Miller with them. Bagnaia, while finishing second, would have shortened the gap in the standings from Quartararo. However, it was a beautiful day for Ducati. Win the title with a private driver? This has already happened in my career – Thiene’s manager warned – when Simoncelli won the 250 title in 2008, he started the season with a satellite Gilera. On Enea our attention has always been at the maximum, but without the agreement with the Gresini team we would have struggled to keep him. He has a top-notch bike, albeit an unofficial one, and everything we could give him in terms of development has been done. Many times the difference between one version and another is subtle. The real difference is made by the pilots“.
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