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MotoGP, Petrucci: "If Marquez is that fast in Qatar, then we’ll have to worry."

"I had put him among the favorites, even though he usually struggles here, but both he and Lorenzo are already fast. He could have done better in the time attack, but I'm happy."

MotoGP: Petrucci: "If Marquez is that fast in Qatar, then we’ll have to worry."

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Danilo Petrucci's first day as an official rider ended, and there's no shortage of ideas. Danilo finished fourth at about six tenths from the top, inside a pack of very fast riders who were very close to each other. A sign that it won't be easy to stand out on Sunday.

"I'm rather happy. I could have done more in the time attack because I made a mistake on the first attempt, but the important thing was to stay in the top ten. It's not easy on this track, since everyone is quick on the flying lap after three days of tests. We need to work on the details to stay in front."

Marc Marquez, who Danilo can only praise despite his concern, impressed the rider from Terni.

"I had put Marquez among the favorites. It's impossible not to, given the seven world championships he's won, also because he gives it his all even when he's in trouble. What's scary," he explained, "is not the fact that he's already reached a track record, but that he reached it here in Qatar where he usually struggles a bit. If things continue to go this way in Qatar, who knows how it'll be when we get to Austin" (he laughs).

Petrux continues with his clear and realistic analysis.

"Lots of new opponents were among the first today, but we didn't particularly expect that kind of time from Marquez. The Hondas, in general, have grown a great deal when it comes to the engine, so it'll be hard to keep close to them. I expected Jorge (ed. Lorenzo) to struggle a bit more, since this was his first race with the new bike, and he's not in great shape. Instead, he was fast."

The first thing to think about tomorrow are the FP3s that, however, don’t seem to be able to change the ranking.

"It looks like there'll be some wind tomorrow, and it could affect both the straight and the bends. It's an important factor, so I don't know if we can improve in the FP3. After all, we did only one time attack, so we could do others, we'll see the conditions."

Danilo told us how he reached the decision to not move the time of the race up.

"I think the problem was an organizational one, in the first place, since Sunday is a work day in Qatar, so it's difficult to change the timetable. From the predictions, however, it doesn't seem that from 7pm to 8pm will change things much. I did a race simulation during the tests at 8pm, and I didn't fall, unlike others who were doing the time attack. I think the timetable is fine," and he concluded, "I believe that the conditions will exist to race safely."

Translated by Leila Myftija
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