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With his victory in the 2022 championship, Francesco Bagnaia finally brought an end to the drought of Italian riders, who had not won a MotoGP title since Valentino Rossi’s last World Championship 13 years ago. But Pecco's feat, as everyone knows by now, became even more special, because the man from Turin was the first Italian to hit the target in MotoGP on an Italian motorbike and the second to do so in the premier class after Giacomo Agostini, who took MV Agusta to success in 1972. Two different bikes, two different eras and two riders who don't even look that much alike, but who accomplished the same feat. What was it like to take an Italian bike to the title? The answer was given to Federico Aliverti by Agostini and Bagnaia themselves, during a double interview made by Motociclismo.
“You represent Italian technology all over the world. I did it 50 years ago and Pecco did it today. It is something that all of us Italians must be proud of - explained Ago, also confessing that he was delighted with the success of the Ducati man - he was an Italian rider who won with an Italian bike, so it was a wonderful day”. A fantastic moment also for Pecco: “the most important of all. It makes me immensely proud of what has been achieved: I chose Ducati, as Ducati chose me and together, we reached this milestone which has been missing for some time and it was wonderful".
In 50 years, things have changed, including the DNA of the bikes, which is quite different from what the 15-time world champion was used to: "I wasn't born with electronics, so it's hard for me to imagine having so much faith in the bike, as they have today. I, being old-fashioned, am for the traditional bike" admitted Agostini speaking of the electronics. "We use less than one might think, but it is certainly fundamental with the power of today's bikes" commented Bagnaia in response, as he is accustomed to taming much more horsepower than that managed at the time by the 10-time TT winner.
And the Tourist Trophy is another aspect that keeps the two champions apart, as is the support in the pits. While for the man from Bergamo the Snaefell Mountain Course “is a wonderful track. It gives you joys that other tracks simply don't give you, but unfortunately you mustn’t think about the danger", for Bagnaia racing at the TT is: "something I don't know if I'm mentally capable of facing". They clearly have a different approach, also as evidenced by their view of the presence of family members at the circuit. “I never wanted anyone in the pits, neither girlfriends nor relatives, because seeing them with sad faces before the start didn't make me mean, so I preferred to be alone” admitted Agostini. For Pecco, on the other hand, the participation of his future wife Domizia, now a permanent presence in the Ducati garage next to Carola, his sister, is "fundamental". These are clearly two completely different ways to experience motorcycling, but the thing that unites them is that they both have their throttle hand firmly on the gas.
