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After arriving in Buriram Bagnaia goes on the attack, for today with words waiting to be followed by deeds tomorrow. He feels that the Thai track is down his alley and he wants to make the most of it to shorten the distance from Martin. He doesn't have too much time left to do so, there are 3 Grands Prix left to run and 20 points to make up. Not too many, but not so few either.
"My goal is to gain points on Jorge - Pecco makes things clear right away - I know this track is better for me. In the last three years I have always been on the podium at Phillip Island, but I have never been the fastest. I was struggling and last week more than usual, we took the wrong direction on Saturday and on Sunday Martin and Marquez were faster than me. I like Buriram, I think my potential will be higher."
Is it true that you think 20 points is not much to make up?
"Three years ago, without the Sprints, it would have been, but now there are 12 more points every weekend and it's easy to lose or gain that many quickly. That's why I think 20 points is not a huge disadvantage, although it's not even a few. Clearly, if you want to recover them you have to do something more than your opponent."
You say this track suits you, but last year Martin had a double win here.
"True, but it's not like Phillip Island, where he was always very competitive. Last year Jorge won not because he was the fastest, but because he was the smartest. On Sunday I was going fast, but I was late in the first positions. Given everything, I think this track is more on my side."
Have you gotten used to fighting for the title in the last few races?
"This is the fourth season this has happened to me, although in 2021 I lost. I always feel the same pressure and I always prepare in the same way. I don't think I will change."
How does it feel to think that in a few months the championship will start again from Thailand?
"It won't change much, although I liked starting in Qatar. More than anything, it's strange to think that we will be back here in a short time."
In Sepang it will be Iannone who will replace Di Giannantonio, what do you think about his return to MotoGP after five years?
"If I have to be honest, I was hoping Bulega would be there, because I think when you have the chance to ride a MotoGP bike you have to take it. Andrea will have a lot of fun, but coming back to Malaysia will not be easy, we saw that last year with Bautista. Iannone has experience in MotoGP and I think he will take that race as fun."
What awaits him on the Ducati?
"The last one he rode was the 2016 one, I never tried it, my first was the 2018 and I can say it is completely different from the current one. It is true that the Ducati today fits all the riders better, but also that to be fast you have to push, be aggressive. If last year Bautista finished last it is not because he is a slow rider, but because it is not easy to adapt."
There is still a lot of talk about the incident between Bezzecchi and Vinales in Phillip Island, what are your thoughts on that?
"That there are some critical corners and the first one in Australia is one of them, in 2017 a similar incident happened with Zarco and Marquez. If you get sucked into the slipstream, it's not easy to avoid contact, you try, but sometimes it's really difficult. Last year, in Qatar, it happened to me when Di Giannantonio passed me. It is something we have to change in the Safety Commission, but there is nothing we can change immediately."
