Pecco Bagnaia’s 2021 season on the factory team’s Ducati started well. with a podium and pole in the first run, followed by a sixth place in the second. Well, yes, but not so good when you consider that many observers cited Losail as the scene of a possible one-two for Ducati. However, the reality was very different and it was another motorcycle that caught on, namely the Yamaha M1 with Vinales and Quartararo. Now is the world championship to Portimao. relocated and while it may be true that Losail was the perfect track for Ducati on paper, it is just as true that the Portuguese track seems the perfect opposite from that point of view.
The undulating Portimao circuit doesn’t have the qualities on paper that can allow the Desmosedici to express themselves, but in 2020 Jack Miller put in a great performance. Qualifying in third place and finished the race in second place behind an unbeatable Oliveira. Ducati can drive fast here too and Bagnaia will quasi contest his first GP here, because last year his race came to an end after three corners due to an involuntary contact with Joan Mir due to a dislocated shoulder. But the real theme of Portimao is obviously the return of Marc Marquez and Bagnaia has very specific ideas about it.
“With regard to Marquez’s return, there are two different scenarios – said Bagnaia – The first is he comes back and kicks everyone in the ass, he could be going really fast right away. The second is that he’s paying more attention to his arm, trying to understand his balance, regaining confidence in the bike without taking too much risk. In my opinion, right now he’s in a situation where he can’t take too many risks with his injured arm. He will be quick knowing that Marc is 100% fit again and thinks he can be very quick right away so no doubt he will give it a try. The track is complicated, but he knows it well because he’s done Moto2 there too, so we’ll see. There are both of these scenarios, and we’ll see how he meets them. “
Will Marquez’s presence on the grid change anything for you?
“Here we are all professionals and we are here to give 100% by doing our best. I mainly think of myself, then I fight with him if there is still a rival. In all fairness, Marc’s return has caused quite a stir these days, but I just think of myself. If it goes well it will be good for our sport, but right now I’m honestly thinking of myself and doing a good job. “
Could Portimao be a better or worse track for Ducati than Losail?
“Last year here was a great weekend for Ducati. Jack was strong while the official drivers suffered a little more. I looked at his data a little to understand where he made a difference. Last year I had problems because I came from a complex time, I lost confidence in the bike, but now I’m in a completely different situation. I feel good I think and I hope it can be a better weekend for me. We also need to understand the weather, it looks like it might rain tomorrow. My goal is to get back in the top 5 and I think I have the potential to fight for it. “
Will the aerodynamic innovations brought to Losail work on such a different route?
“I hope the new aerodynamics work here too. They give us something in the fast corners and there are some very fast corners on this track so I think they can help us with the Portimao layout as well.”
What did the second round at Losail teach you?
“In the second race I learned not to brake too hard in the slipstream. In Losail I was wrong by braking too close to Zarco, arriving too hard at the braking point and not stopping. I gave away a victory. I get a lot of confidence from the front of my Ducati and that’s fundamental to me, it’s something I need. I realized that I had thrown away a win, at the end of the race I was as fast as Quartararo and Vinales, I was running very well. I feel like I lost a chance but to have already had the chance to fight for victory is a positive thing that we must appreciate “.
Were you surprised to find Jorge Martìn so competitive straight away?
“Jorge did a great job. It was his second race and he didn’t have a normal winter testing season. HWe did not test in Valencia, Jerez, Malaysia. He only tested for six days and at first he also had problems. In the first race he had problems over the distance, in the second he was fast all weekend, also very consistent. He handled the situation very well in the race, we fought behind him while he stayed calm. He drove in his style, very clean and, in my opinion, did an incredible job. I was very surprised to see him fight for the podium right away. I knew he would be quick, maybe even that he could fight for the top five. But finishing your second MotoGP race on the podium is something you can only see with very few riders. “