Marco Bezzecchi reckons his home MotoGP event at Mugello last weekend was “one of the best of my life” having scored a best ever result in the series.
The VR46 Ducati rookie battled for supremacy in the Italian Grand Prix having already impressed on Saturday by qualifying on the front row for the first time, before then leading the opening eight tours until finally being eclipsed by eventual race-winner Francesco Bagnaia on his factory Ducati.
The three-time Moto2 race winner was eventually shuffled back to fifth by the end of the encounter after his pace dropped off in the closing stages, though it was still an impressive showing in only Bezzecchi’s eighth MotoGP event, having taken the chequered flag just three-seconds adrift of Bagnaia.
The Italian hailed his Mugello ride as “one of the best of my life”, conceding that while he tried his upmost to score a first ever premier class rostrum, he knew that “I was probably a little bit slower than the top guys.”
“This weekend was one of the best of my life, I had an amazing feeling with the bike since Friday in FP1 and then we started to work to find something more in other parts of the track,” explained Bezzecchi.
“Overall I always felt good and yesterday the qualifying was incredible and I didn’t expect it at all, even though I felt good there are always many fast riders but it was possible to make the first row.
“Then today in the race I tried to take the podium but honestly I knew I was probably a little bit slower than the top guys.”
VR46 team-mate Luca Marini likewise enjoyed his strongest MotoGP performance to date at the classic venue as he claimed sixth just behind Bezzecchi – his best ever dry result after taking fifth in last year’s Austrian GP due to a late gamble to stay out on slicks on a wet track – having run as high as second in the early goings after starting third.
Marini says the fact he has finally been able to “get comfortable” with the Desmosedici is the main reason for his upturn in form across the last couple of outings – a second career top ten finish coming at Le Mans prior to Mugello – and he believes further progress is possible in the short term.
“I’m really satisfied with the weekend, I was really strong and it was probably my best in MotoGP,” said Marini.
“It’s nice to get comfortable with the bike, in the last two races we have improved it and have made a big jump, and I hope to continue this trend in Barcelona because we need to confirm our position and potential.
“We still need to find something with the bike – especially the last phase of the corner entry – but we are going in the right direction.
“We had some good fights, especially with (Fabio) Quartararo I was quite aggressive with to try and help Pecco (Bagnaia) to win the race if it was possible but I enjoyed a lot, and I hope to be in the position more often to fight with these amazing riders.”
