MotoGP, Bagnaia: "This battle with Martin stokes me, it's like a boxing match."

This time the Sprint smiled on Bagnaia, who with Saturday's victory at the Red Bull Ring wiped out the gap in the standings from Martin. Two hundred and fifty: Pecco and Jorge have the same number of points, as if half the season (plus a Sprint race) had never been run. It was important for the world champion to react after the recent British disappointments. "The Silverstone race went the way it did, but at circuits where you are comfortable it is always important to pick up the maximum - Bagnaia smiles - Here I succeeded, but this must become a constant in all Sprints, we must not make any more mistakes because we know how hard-fought the championship is. It is crucial to always be in front."

After 10 GPs and 11 Sprints you and Martin have the same points, how is that possible?
"It's fantastic (laughs). I'm glad it's going that way, also because I also found myself more than 40 points behind and it was crucial to catch up. Both Jorge and I made too many mistakes, but we are always ahead in every situation, at every circuit. This means that our level right now is a bit higher than everyone else's. We have to continue like this to fight until the end and I'm sure that will happen."

At mid-year, you were 91 points behind in 2022, 62 points behind in 2023, now everything is different again.
"This is the best situation, the one I prefer. In 2022 I was forced to win, while last year I had to put myself on defense, especially after the incident at Barcelona, I could see myself crunching the points and mentally it was the most difficult situation. This one, on the other hand, stokes me because we are fighting on equal terms, it's like a boxing match."

Martin made a mistake today.
"I saw him go wide. I came out of the first corner better than him and I decided to go to the outside and brake like it was in qualifying: if he had done the same, he would have been long and that's what happened. Then, when at the end of the lap I saw him only 3 tenths behind me, I knew he would be penalized because he hadn't lost a second. When you cut a chicane you always lose time, but that's the rule. From that moment, I tried to focus on managing the race, on the maps, on the tires, to understand as much as possible for tomorrow, riding smoothly."

Marquez tried to catch you and crashed.
"We all know Marc and his determination, he tried as he should, I would have done the same in his place. The race pace I was keeping was manageable at that stage, he was pushing hard to come and catch me and it only takes a moment to make a mistake. Marquez has to be appreciated for that sort of thing."

Could you have gone faster?
"For three or four more laps, yes. At that time I was trying to figure out how the different maps were behaving because we had made changes before the race."

Do you feel you are riding better than ever?
"It's hard to say, but it's true that I'm always fast. We have worked perfectly since Jerez and every weekend we fight for the top positions. Silverstone was the only weekend that did not go as I expected, but unfortunately the conditions did not allow me to use the right tires to be competitive. Other than that, I'm super fast, I have the same feeling as in 2022."

Did you fully understand the pros and cons of the new tires?
"Here they are a little easier to handle because you can use the rear brake to slide the tire in. Today the problems I had with the front came from the rear pushing: in turns 1, 3, 4 and 10 I could feel it, so I decided to slow down a bit in the last few laps. Tomorrow will be different in case we run with the medium, but it must also be said that the performance of the rear tire this year is incredible. Today, in the Sprint, I turned in my fastest lap only 2 tenths slower than last year's pole position."

The pole, however, Martin took today.
"I had already seen Martin's time, but I was too happy to be under 1'28" as well. Of course, taking pole position is better, but it was a great lap. I was just a little too wide in Turn 6, but even without that little mistake I couldn't have beaten Jorge. Other than that, we set some incredible times."

Will the form factor be the same tomorrow?
"I think so. I don't know if Marquez will try to run with the soft rear, but I think the form factor on track will not change."