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Francesco Bagnaia's weekend in Sepang could not have started better. The reigning MotoGP champion, in fact, lined up everyone behind him in both Friday practice sessions, although he worked hard in view of the race. Especially in the afternoon session. Recovering at least part of the 17-point disadvantage that, with two Rounds to go, separates him from leader Jorge Martin will not be easy, but the rider from Piedmont seems to be on the right track.
"Today was a very positive day. We did a great job from the very first moment: I felt good with the hard tyre, even though it is a very difficult tyre because it tends to have very little grip," Pecco commented at the end of the day, explaining the strategy adopted in the two practice sessions.
"I know how important it is to get a good start and I like this track. When the track is like this, like in Assen, I know that it is easier for me to go fast and although this morning I started with the hard, which is a tyre that does not work particularly well, I had a good pace and good feelings. Then we decided to use the medium behind already in FP1, to start with that tyre in the next session. We know the rear tyre wears out a lot here, so I wanted to start this afternoon, with so much heat, with a more worn tyre, to see how far we could go. Because tomorrow in the Sprint the conditions will be very difficult for the tyres. Both front and rear," he explained.
"It was important to start from a more complicated condition and be a little bit in trouble, but try to go fast anyway, and in my opinion we did a very good job, because the pace was very fast. Similar to the fastest guys in the session," he added, "I have to say that the setup we have helped me quite a bit in that and the team did a good job as well. I think it was a good strategy. As for the time attack, the first one didn't come out very well because I made a mistake, but the second one did. So, I am very happy."
Coming to this point in the season, being first as early as Friday might have some bearing on the psyche of the two title contenders.
"On me, no, because it is difficult for me to be first on Friday. It only happened one other time in Assen that I was first in both sessions. It 's the second time it's happened in my MotoGP career," Bagnaia pointed out, "I don't know what influence it has on the others' heads. Martin crashed today, but I don't think it was because of that. A little bit of pressure is definitely there and it's normal that it is, but our goal is to win, not to impress people."
It was precisely the two rivals in the rainbow fight who seemed to be the two who had that little bit more on this first day in Malaysia.
"We knew before we even started the weekend that in the worst of situations Jorge would finish second, because we are a step ahead of the others. I really hope that Bastianini takes a step forward tomorrow so that we can close the gap a little bit. Although I know he won't help me. I will have to be a little bit faster than both of them. So, we'll see," analyzed the Lenovo Ducati team rider, ready for a new head-to-head with Martin: "It's been head-to-head all year, so we're used to it. What happened between me and him in the morning? Nothing. He was undecided about whether or not to start behind me and I didn't want them to see what I was doing."
Speaking about his strengths and areas in which to improve over the weekend, the 27-year-old added, "I think I'm stronger in the third and fourth sectors, while in the first I'm very close to the fastest, which I feel is Martin. The one where he makes the difference is the second sector, but I also know where, and so it's easier to know where you're losing."
Weighing on this season finale is also the fate of the final round, which hangs in the balance, after the flooding that hit the city of Valencia.
"It depends on where it will be held. Because I don't think it's right to race in Valencia anyway. I really hope they take into consideration that ethically, given what's going on, it's not the right situation and it's not the right thing. Even at the cost of losing what is my ultimate goal, which is to win the title, I am not willing to race in Valencia," underlined Bagnaia, speaking of the guarantees he has been given at this time about holding the last race.
Even if it were to be canceled, however, it would not change the approach of the rider from Piedmont.
"I have to win either way, so it changes relatively little for me. This is my goal, and I wanted to start well and work well, to try to be competitive and consistent in every situation. We have to stay focused on this weekend and try to do the best we can," he said.
Bagnaia was then asked to comment on what Andrea Iannone did today.
"I think Iannone did a really good job today, considering he didn't do any testing. Unlike, for example, Alvaro Bautista, who did last year - he pointed out - Despite this he still did a better job, because he lapped already in 1'59", without knowing the rear device and the tyres. For me, he did an impressive job today."
In a final note, the reigning champion commented on the differences between his current Desmosedici and the one used in the tests held in February here in Sepang.
"I must say that my bike is different from the one used in the tests, because on Friday at Jerez I changed the swingarm, going back to the old one, and that was a step forward," he explained, "From there to today, the bike has remained exactly the same."
