The Austrian circuit smiles down at Enea Bastianini, who snatched the pole by a few tenths of a second from Pecco and his official Ducati. The Gresini team’s Italian rider will start at the top of the grid tomorrow. A grid dominated by the Ducatis that promise to make life difficult for Fabio, who will start in the second row. An important result, not only for race purposes, but also in light of the question still looming over Ducati about who will fill the vacancy on the factory team next year. On paper, Enea seems to have the upper hand over Spanish rider Jorge Martin in terms of results, but the choice isn’t straight forward, since there could be sponsors and strategies that go beyond the boundaries of the rankings. At the final stretch, we might be able to have the answer at Misano, and so tomorrow’s race acquires even more meaning for Ducati.
This is your first pole in the MotoGP. The last was in Catalunya in the Moto3 in 2018. How important is this result for the race tomorrow, also considering the chicane?
“I’m very happy to have the pole again after four years,” Enea said. “It’s the result of the excellent work that’s been done these days, although I have to admit that it arrived unexpectedly. The race tomorrow will be very tough. All the Ducati riders are incredibly competitive, and everyone wants to win. Quartararo is no exception. His race pace is among the best. The arrival at the first chicane will be quite challenging. Everyone will want to be ahead in that sector of the track.”
Your race pace in the FP4 was competitive. Last time you were in the front row in Qatar, you won the race. What do you think we can expect in tomorro’s race, especially with so many Ducatis in the front row?
“The start will have to be good, but it won’t be like in Qatar. We’ll be able to push a little more here at the beginning, so as not to lose positions, even if it’s important to manage the tires, also because I have to improve in the early stages of the race.”
Everyone’s talking about how to deal with the new chicane. With so many Ducatis in the front rows, could an idea be to agree among yourselves to avoid risks in that part of the race?
“It’s easy from the outside to think of solutions of this kind, but things are different in the race. Staying in the lead will be important, but without being too aggressive. Having started from the back sometimes, I know how much the desire is to impose yourself and chase the leading group. These aren’t situations you can keep under control.”
Your start to the season was amazing, all on a bike from last year. Now that the GP22 seems to have surpassed yours technically, what can you tell us about how you worked with your bike to stay competitive at these levels?
“In the last few races before the summer break, I wasn't as fast as I wanted to be. I was tired and nervous, also because I wasn’t getting results. I really need the summer break to reset and find the right balance to face the second half of the championship. The GP21 and GP22 are very similar. I think they’re very close in terms of competitiveness, so it’s all about trying to maintain the right concentration to be able to face the last races to the fullest of my potential.”
This morning they announced that, starting next year, the MotoGP will double its races with the Sprint Race on Saturday. What do you think about that?
“I’m usually at my best in the second part of the race, so having to be at my best right away could put me in trouble. I think that we’ll get a clearer idea in Portimão of what we can expect. For now, let’s focus on the rest of the championship.”