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The showdown is approaching. Tomorrow the first free practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday, the day in which Bagnaia will find out if he will be world champion in Sepang. The 14 points advantage over Quartararo gives him the mathematical possibility, but numbers fail to and cannot describe the eve of a GP that looks like it is going to be red-hot.
Yet Pecco seems calm, as if there are still weeks and not days to go before the decisive moment. "I feel quite calm because I know that, if we continue to work as we have done in this second half of the season, I will be able to be competitive. If anything, the problem could be the weather, it seems that Saturday and Sunday it might rain, but in Malaysia it is always unpredictable ”.
The eve of the race weekend is still important...
"I also know that an Italian has not won the MotoGP title since 2009 and Ducati since 2007 and for me it would be my first in MotoGP. For sure the pressure is there. I’m starting to feel the pressure but at this moment I’m quite happy and I know we did something really good this year. Still, we have to finish the job and my main focus at the moment is on that.”
How did you spend the days between the race in Australia and this one?
"I always did the same things: I read a book, watched a few films and watched all the sessions of the last Grand Prix we raced in Sepang. I am experiencing this as a normal weekend. My family and my girlfriend have arrived here and they will help me to be more relaxed ”.
Four years ago you won your Moto2 title here in Sepang, now do you feel different?
“I repeat, at this moment I don't feel this pressure that there could be. I felt it more in 2018 because I was 38 points ahead and I felt I could really win it. Now I have accepted that it is easier than getting to Valencia, I am simply remaining calm and trying to live this situation as it should be lived. I know I am fast and that by doing a good job I will be able to stay in front, then everything will come as a consequence ”.
You made an extraordinary comeback in the championship, was it also a sort of revenge against those who said you weren't a world championship rider?
“I'm quite used to being criticized, even when I win. I have always felt good and as I progressed through the season I had more motivation, which helped me to focus on the final goal. I am very satisfied with what I have achieved so far, but now we have to finish the work and it is the most difficult thing ".
Why do you attract criticism?
“I don't know, but I realize that I don't have to prove anything to anyone who criticizes me, those people don't deserve to make me nervous about them. I got to the point of doing things for myself and who knows, for what I obtained. The argument that I am up front because there are 8 Ducatis on the track doesn't hold up, I won all the races by myself and my potential was as incredible as what I obtained”.
So you have no doubt?
"Let's not forget that the last year we raced here, Quartararo took pole and Vinales won, both on Yamaha, Valentino was always fast here too. I am sure that, thanks to all the steps forward we have made this year, our bike will certainly give us a hand. There are two straights where we can make a difference, but we will have to be careful about the choice of tyres and the conditions we will find. The chances of having a good race are good, to win the title is another matter but I want to think about it as little as possible, the important thing is to be competitive ".
Don't you have the feeling that Quartararo has somehow already given up?
“I don't think Fabio doesn't believe it anymore. We are riders, we are here to win and we don't give up until the end. He will try in every way to stay ahead as it should be. We saw him at Phillip Island: he crashed because he was pushing and gave a good show of strength because giving up when you are 15th is not the same as trying and risking crashing ”.
What do you think were the key points of your season?
"Sincerely, a race that gave to me a lot of motivation was Silverstone. I was really struggling all the weekend and was not competitive. In the race I did the 13th best lap but all the weekend I just tried to be the most competitive as possible. The key moment though was Aragon when I finished second on the podium and Fabio unfortunately had a crash. This was a moment where I gained a lot of points in a freak way because he didn’t finish the race."
Isn't speed everything?
“It's not a question of being the fastest, even if it helps sometimes, but of being consistent. In the race you have to manage a lot of things, the tyre drop, and you have to be smart ”.
So what will the strategy be for Sepang?
“The same as I used at Phillip Island, I will try to win and I will push to do it ”.
