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MotoGP, Marini: "Just a few messages with Valentino, my mum gives me advice"

"In Ducati I’ve found my world, I'm working a lot on the electronics". Bastianini: "In MotoGP you have to be smooth, otherwise you will crash"

MotoGP: Marini: "Just a few messages with Valentino, my mum gives me advice"

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It was the second day of school for Luca Marini who today went back out with the Ducati of the Esponsorama team on the Losail track. Luca is a "rider-engineer" and arriving in a MotoGP garage, where technology has its maximum expression, could for him be like going to Toyland. Was it so?

"Yeah, it's really crazy - said Luca - This is really my world and we are working a lot on the electronics, analysing every sector and every curve. I love working this way, you can get anything you want from bikes like these. When I go faster and it will be a matter of shaving only a few tenths off this type of approach will be even more important, for me it is essential to understand how to talk to the engineers to communicate in the best possible way".

Compared to yesterday's debut, you improved your time by one second. How was your day?

“For sure everything went better than yesterday. I'm starting to feel the bike and together with the team we are trying to sort out some things that are fundamental for me like the position on the bike, for which we changed the seat. Now I feel quite comfortable but there is still work to be done on the tank cover, tomorrow we will try a bit of an "ugly" solution but these are things that are only needed by me here at Ducati because the other riders are fine. We have made a list of materials, now we will see what they can give us from the factory ”.

Today, for the first time, you were on the same track and in the same category as your brother Valentino Rossi. Did you cross paths?

“No, actually today I always lapped on my own and it's a shame because I would have liked to have followed some of the top riders to understand their lines. Vale and I texted a little last night but nothing special. "

And keeping it in the family, we know that your mother is a Ducati enthusiast and has a very keen eye when it comes to MotoGP. Do you exchange any views between you?

“She loves Ducati, it's true. Today she followed the times and she wrote me a few messages giving me advice on braking and indicating the areas where I was losing time ".

Some of your team are held up at the hotel for having had contact with positives. How is the situation there?

"Their tests are negative and so I hope they will be on track tomorrow or, at the latest, in the next test".

Bastianini: "I'm too aggressive with the gas, I'm starting to understand the electronics"

 

It was the second day of testing also for the other rookie of the Esponsorama team, the Moto2 world champion Enea Bastianini. Yesterday ‘The Beast’ looked awesome and today he even improved by just under a second and a half. Is there anything that surprises him about the Ducati?

"The first thing I noticed was the incredible power of this bike, when you change gear it seems like someone is kicking you from behind, it's crazy."

Was there a chance today to follow some experienced riders in the class?

“Yes, today I tried to ride with other riders and I must say that I noticed very clearly the difference between the Ducatis and the other bikes. I was behind Quartararo, Oliveira and Mir but the most interesting things I could see behind the other Ducati riders. They do the same lines as me but the way they come on the gas changes a lot, I am still too aggressive, in MotoGP you have to be smooth, otherwise you crash. I'm in good shape when braking, the problem is in the middle of the corner and on exit”.

Speaking of crashes, today you also had your first one in the top class. What happened?

“It wasn't the best way to start the day, I was on the first lap and with harder tyres than yesterday. I went into turn 2 and braked too aggressively ”.

Apart from that, how did the day go as a whole?

“Really good, slowly I began to understand the bike well and I also set some good times. But I also followed riders who were faster than me like Miller and Vinales ”.

What’s the atmosphere like in the box? Have you already talked to Marini?

"Luca and I haven't talked much, for now the important thing is to follow the other riders rather than exchange ideas between us. In the garage the work changes a lot compared to Moto2, there are a lot more details such as the electronics, the maps and the engine brake, I only started to understand something at the end of the day but they are very important things."

 

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