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The question is whether three weeks off will change the balance of MotoGP when it restarts at Silverstone or - even better - whether someone will beat Bagnaia. The MotoGP has closed for vacation, but it hasn't even arrived at the halfway point of the season: 9 GPs down, 11 still to go, with Silverstone as the turning point and an incandescent August. After the round in Britain, there will be those in Austria and Aragon (going over into September). In short, the best is yet to come.
Bagnaia will turn up at the restart ahead of everyone, with 10 points more than Martin. A slim lead when you consider what the world champion has managed to do. Of the first 9 GPs, in fact, he has won 6, leaving 2 to Jorge and one to Vinales. In the remaining 3, Pecco made the podium once, then has a 5th place and a crash (in Portimao) to his name. In the long race, he therefore has had no rivals. Pecco lost his 'real' points on Saturday, because in the Sprint, until Mugello, he had only picked up the crumbs: a pittance of 14 points in 5 GPs.
The Spaniard has been the opposite of the Italian: it is not for nothing that the Pramac rider is a wizard of the short distance and this year he has already won 4 Sprints, getting on the podium 6 times on Saturday. It is these results that allowed him to stay close to Bagnaia because on Sunday he has picked up less than his opponent and made more mistakes (two zeros against one).
The fight for the title, as already happened last year, seems to be between these two, although taking Marquez and Bastianini (respectively minus 56 and 67 points from Pecco) out of the fight now would be at least premature. The real problem for everyone, is being able to consistently put their wheels in front of the #1 Ducati.
Martin has managed it (on Sunday, where full points are awarded) just three times, Marquez once, Bastianini twice. The only chance is to be able to stop him, especially since Bagnaia is unbeaten since Barcelona, so for 4 Grands Prix in a row .
The calendar is also on Pecco's side: At Silverstone he won in 2022 while last year he finished 2nd, in Austria he has been unbeaten for two years, Aragon is the track where in 2021 he won his first MotoGP and then there is the one-two at Misano, his second home.
If there is a good time to continue to stretch a lead in the standings, for Pecco it is this one. Five GPs where he can put points in the bank before leaving Europe for the final sprint. For everyone else, however, it's time to figure out whether or not it's possible to get a look in.
So far we have only talked about the Ducati riders, because they have the best bike and are the ones in the best shape. The first of the 'others' is Vinales, 97 points away, on a competitive Aprilia, although Maverick has lacked consistency. Then there is Acosta, a rookie from whom some exploits are expected but not to fight for the title. A different experience, but the same expectations hold for Di Giannantonio, Morbidelli and Bezzecchi, who for one reason or another have not yet reaped what they deserved or could.
MotoGP starts up again in a few days' time, with one man in charge hoping to be left alone.
