And speaking of pressure, of withstanding pressure, of living with pressure, of haggling with pressure, of using pressure, of accepting pressure, the two candidates for the MotoGP world title spoke about it as soon as they arrived at the Sepang circuitwhere the Malaysian Grand Prix takes place this weekend, 18th round of the motorcycle world championship where, by the way, the murcian Pedro Acosta (Kalex) will be proclaimed, with all certainty, brand new Moto2 world championadding to the Moto3 scepter (2021) the crown of the intermediate category as a prior step to making the leap to MotoGPWith the signature GasGaswhat is KTMclear.
He Italian ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia (Ducati)26 years old, from Turin, MotoGP world champion and undisputed leader, although it may not seem like it, of the team Ducati Corse, an official of the Borgo Panigale firm, loves pressure, likes pressure, is motivated by pressure. “First,” says Bagnaia upon arriving in Malaysia, “one thing is the pressure of last year, when Ducati had not won the title for 15 years (the last champion had been the marvelous Australian Casey Stoner, in 2007) and another, very different one, the one I suffer or endure this year. Everything is very different, then I had no choice but to win, now I consider that losing the title at the hands of a very fast Jorge Martín would not be a failure.”
Repeat title
Bagnaia also believes that “this year I can use that pressure more as fuel, as a push, as an incentive, in favor rather than as torture, rather than as something negative.” The Italian does not know, although given his results it seems that he is coping very well, “how it affects him.” Jorge (Martin) that pressure, of being so close to the title, almost caressing it. I insist, I must use it as fuel, to propel myself, improve and feel that desire to be champion again.”
Bagnaia, who feels very happy in Sepang (“Last year, I insist, I came here under great pressure, it was a very hard weekend, but I ended up winning“), he believes that it will be a good weekend for him “because I have always been good at this route, even if the weather gets complicated, as is usually the case here in Malaysia, I think I am prepared to face anything.”
Martín, for his part, comes from an immaculate, fantastic, impressive weekend, adding the 37 points at stake for Thailand, the 12 from Saturday to the ‘sprint’ and the 25 from Sunday. “I’ve been saying it all year: I have to stay the same, I don’t have to worry about the lead or the World Championship, I have to be as fast as I can in every outing on the track and that’s it. The rest, if it has to be produced, will be produced because of that, because we are the fastest.”
Of course, the pilot from San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid), 25 years oldhe already acknowledged, upon leaving Thailand, that he was beginning to notice the pressure on his men and, in that sense, he called for “a few days of calm, of disconnection, because there are still three weekends left, six tough races and 111 points at stake.” .
It goes without saying that Martín continues to be the favorite of the MotoGP paddock, since everyone agrees, from Marc Márquez until Aleix Espargarothat motorcycling is about being the fastest and Martín always is, whatever the route, from minute one of the first test on Fridays.
“Jorge is proving to be the fastest in MotoGP, he deserves the title, another thing is if he achieves it”
“At this moment and with the last three rounds of the season approaching, I have to admit that, despite knowing what type of driver we had in our team, I had my doubts as to whether Jorge (Martí) would be able to reach the final ‘sprint’ of the campaign with the possibility of being champion. And, yes, he has arrived and is, if I doubt it, I’m not saying it, the data says it, the fastest on the MotoGP grid. Let’s not fool ourselves, Jorge is proving he deserves to be champion, another thing is for him to achieve it,” says the Italian. Gino BorsoiMartín’s sports boss in Ducati’s ‘satellite’ team, Prima Pramac.
Let us remember that, in the absence of three great prizes (Malaysia, Qatar and Valencia)of six races and 111 points at stakeBagnaia is the leader, with 389 points, followed by Martín, with 376, that is, 13 behind the champion and leader, while the marvelous Marco Bezzecchialso a Ducati man in the team of the legendary Valentino Rossi, is third, with 66 points less than ‘Pecco’.
Marc Márquez counts the days to test the Ducati
“I understand that there is a lot of expectation for the Valencia test. Because it is a brand change and because, in the past, that expectation was generated with other drivers. My job is to try to escape that expectation,” he commented today, at the circuit from Sepang (Malaysia), Marc Márquezwho next year will race in the team of the late Fausto Gresini at the controls of a Ducati ‘Desmosedici’, the same one driven this year by his brother Àlex, who will once again share the box with the eight-time world champion.
“In the Valencia test (November 28), I will have to adapt, go little by little, because I have been on the same type of motorcycle for many years. Adapt to the team. The first one who has questions is me,” added the rider. Cervera (Lleida). “When I get on the Ducati, there will be no excuses on the bike. There are different types of riders who manage to go fast with it. I say fast, because there are only two constants: Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia. Consistency is what marks the chances of fighting for the championship,” continued Márquez, who assured that, before testing the bike, he does not plan to say a word about its role in next year’s World Championship.