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The 2024 season rounded its half-way point at Silverstone and, after 10 Grands Prix, it is as if we were still at the beginning. In England Martin put himself back in the lead of the standings, but the 3-point advantage over Bagnaia is practically nothing. Anything can still happen between now and Valencia, and this weekend the venue for the fight will be the Red Bull Ring, a circuit that Pecco, who has won the last two editions of the Austrian GP, likes a lot.
"This is one of the best tracks for the Ducati, it suits its characteristics perfectly, and I really like this kind of braking, challenging and where you have to be precise," the world champion declared.
In other words, it is the right place to take back the lead in the title battle.
"The standings are very tight, it's not so important to be the leader right now," Bagnaia continued, "With a three-point gap it's like starting from scratch. For sure, I want to improve in the Sprints which is where Martin is making the difference."
It's neck-and-neck between Pecco and Jorge, but Bastianini and Marquez are not too far behind.
"It is always difficult to make predictions," commented the Piedmont rider, "At the moment Martin and I are the most consistent, but we have also made a lot of mistakes. If Enea and Marc can find continuity, it could be a good battle until the end. I would say that the fight will be between the four of us."
To win it will need speed, but also brains.
"This is not the right time to think about not taking risks - Bagnaia clarified his strategy - We just have to think about pushing, as we already did last year: at Motegi, with only a few races to go, Martin and I were 1st and 2nd in the wet. This is not the time to slow down to limit the risks," he reiterated.
Only one question Pecco did not answer: who he would like to win the title in case he did not succeed. "I never thought about that, I wouldn't know what to say. I'll pass," he wavered with a shred of superstition.
