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Jorge Martin remained at the top of the MotoGP world championship for only 24 hours. A crash on lap 13 while he was firmly in command of the Indonesian Grand Prix with just over 3" ahead of Vinales who was in turn being chased by Bagnaia.
A serious mistake, just as Pecco's previous errors were serious in this championship and which had helped Martinator's comeback. Once again it was demonstrated that it is not enough to be fast on the track, but that it is equally important to 'keep it on the rubber', as Phil Read often said: i.e. keep both tyres on the asphalt.
There have been a lot of crashes in motorcycle racing in recent years: the increase in safety, but also the evolution of MotoGP, with the incredible increase in grip and stability during braking thanks to the downforce added by aerodynamics, has led to an exponential increase in errors in the corner entry phase.
Bagnaia could have settled for second place after being informed that his rival was out. He didn't do that, maximizing his advantage. It was the right attitude.
“Pecco reacted like a champion, it wasn't easy after Saturday's defeat, because it was truly a defeat - summarized Gigi Dall'Igna, who added - The rear tyre made an important difference, we also evolved the electronics, but he made the biggest contribution. For us it will be a fratricidal war, but it will be nice to see them fight until the end."
It may seem like a strong term, 'fratricidal war', and some people didn't like the phrase, but it's like this: the images of a jubilant Tardozzi, his face when he transforms into the incredible Hulk in red, the hugs with Ciabatti and with Gigi demonstrate that the internal team cares a lot about the number one. And it couldn't be otherwise.
We finally saw a good Grand Prix. Despite the many crashes that meant that only 14finished, with Morbidelli even classified 4 laps behind. A record.
But we have already talked about the race, or you have already seen it. So here are some thoughts and ratings about what we saw in the Mandalika GP. And we'll tell you in advance: only the TWO FABIOs got AN A-PLUS.
4 - Jorge MARTIN (DNF): he literally dominated the first 12 laps, proving to be a valid opponent of Bagnaia in the fight for the title. His crash forces him to rebuild the long chase that had seen him take the lead in the world championship. A mistake or overconfidence? What is certain is that from now on every point will count and the number 1 will end up on the fairing of the one who does not let himself be carried away by emotions.
9 - Pecco BAGNAIA (1st): he reacted extremely well, as did the team, restoring his confidence in his Ducati. He doesn't get a 10 because Martin dominated him for half the race.
9 - Maverick VINALES (2nd): victory always deceives him, but he had a great race. The Aprilia's excellent grip is paid for by greater tyre wear, and if the tyre drops, defending becomes very difficult. The RS-GP still has to find the perfect balance, which is not easy given that we are talking about details. How long did Ducati take?
10 cum laude - Fabio QUARTARARO (3rd): The best on track, taking into account that he took the Yamaha to the podium. And less than half a second from Bagnaia. The M1 is always the best bike when entering corners, but it is clearly in difficulty in acceleration and speed. Credit to Fabio for never being overly critical of Iwata's work, even if Yamaha must be careful, because it risks losing him.
10 cum laude - Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO (4th): It took Diggia a while to express his talent, but in extra time he is succeeding. It's difficult to say whether it was the fear of being left without a ride that is giving him that extra something, but Mandalika was a real race. With the market situation still fluid in this MOTOGC (Great Chaos, as Pernat says), he still has some chance of remaining in the top category. Let's prepare for yet another twist.
9 - Marco BEZZECCHI (5th): great race also with a fractured collarbone a few days earlier. In 1978 Takazumi Katayama won the Opatija GP in the same condition, a success that earned him the 350 world title. Riders, special people.
5 - Brad BINDER (6th): his speed is undoubtedly 8, but in Mandalika he was too aggressive. First with Marini and then with Oliveira. In motorcycle racing there is often contact, but it is NOT a contact sport. However, be careful of having him behind you!
5 - Jack MILLER (7th): he has always been a generous rider, but in recent times he has not convinced us. He seems not to be very comfortable riding the KTM. The next Grand Prix, at his home, at Phillip Island, should show us his determination, which at the moment seems to have faded.
8 - Enea BASTIANINI (8th): a good race despite the gap that made him lose the group, whether it was caused by a contact or not, at least the Beast lived up to his nickname. We must not forget that he has raced very little this year.
8 - Alex RINS (9th): what was said about Enea also applies to Rins: he has raced very little this year and the incident he suffered was serious. He finished as the best Honda. Credit where credit is due.
4 - Marc MARQUEZ (DNF): he crashed while in eighth position, on lap 7, while he was 6” from the top. It seems that since he has had the certainty of being able to leave Honda he has started to cherish his 'all or nothing' philosophy again. He always crashes in the same way and, of course, before the mistake he was the best Honda on the track, but it would be better to finish the races.
6 - Aleix ESPARGARO (10th): rides very aggressively and pays a lot for tyre wear. At Mandalika, however, he was 30 seconds behind his teammate. It's not like him.
NOT RATED - Luca MARINI (DNF): was brought down by Binder on the second lap while he was in fourth position. You can't give him a grade for the Grand Prix, but given what he showed in the Sprint, he would have deserved to finish in a good position.
