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We said it at the end of the Misano double-header, nobody seems to want to win this world championship. Dovizioso and Quartararo seem to be competing to score the fewest points with Maverick Vinales who has never really seemed capable of winning a race this season and at Misano he only did it thanks to Bagnaia’s crash.
The only one who in the last few races has seemed really on form and determined (also for his brilliant tough passes) to score as many points as possible is Joan Mir, the Suzuki rider who is now 4th in the overall standings at -4 from Dovizioso, the championship leader. Joan, however, is still missing the win however in his 3 podiums in 4 races. Barcelona could be the right track for him to finally bring home the 25 points with a return to victory for Suzuki for the first time since last year's Silverstone GP.
"The fact that many people say that I am a favourite makes me very happy - said Joan - On paper this might seem like a good track for Suzuki but it's also true that this year you never know with the new tyres. I think I can be competitive, top speed is not our strong point, but on this track, it is not so important if you are in the leading group. If we start from the front it will be crucial to have a great pace and fight with the best. Certainly, top speed is very useful in duels, at the moment with the Suzuki I have to risk a lot in overtaking. However, if I am in front, speed will not be a problem ”.
Sixty-nine points in the last 4 races, a series of positive results that come after only 11 points in the first 3 races. Are you satisfied about this first half of the season?
“I am very happy because we are doing everything we had planned. Last year was my debut and I had to get familiar with the bike and learn as much as possible. This year I'm still learning but on a different level. I would have liked to have been in these positions a little earlier but it was not possible, but in any case, I reached the level I hoped for. There are still a lot of races ahead of us and I want to continue my progression”.
There are now 7 more races, what do you expect?
“I hope the second half of the season will be more relaxed but I don't really know what to expect. Everyone will be calmer and will understand which places in the standings to fight for and that is why everyone will be relaxed except the top 4 or whoever will fight for the championship ”.
After Quartararo had defined Suzuki as the “perfect bike overall” last week, Dovizioso also spoke out in favour of the Hamamatsu manufacturer’s machine, awarding it the most balanced MotoGP title on the grid. Do you agree with him?
"Dovizioso has the experience to be able to give his opinion. I agree with him: the Suzuki is a balanced bike, it's not the best in one single area, but it does well in all of them. It's a predictable bike, on all tracks ”.
Speaking of tracks, here in Barcelona you will find a completely different level of grip than the one you had in the last two weeks in Misano, will this change anything?
“Yes, the grip will be different from the last two weeks and we slide a lot on this track. These differences and these conditions will make us even more careful about the choice of tyres and it will be important to manage the opening of the gas and try to understand the rear tyre to get the best out of the race. These will be the keys to this weekend, more than at Misano where we had great grip ”.
