The VR46 duo has arrived in Brazil, and at least one of the two riders is undoubtedly experiencing a weekend quite different from the usual. We’re obviously talking about Franco Morbidelli, who for the first time gets to enjoy the thrill of racing a GP in his beloved Brazil and who, in the words of Fabio Di Giannantonio, is living this experience quite intensely.
"First of all, I’m thrilled that MotoGP is going to different places around the world," said Diggia. "It’s great to be able to showcase our sport in other countries, and Brazil was undoubtedly one of the places on the list to visit. I like everything here; the colors almost seem different, more vibrant. And it’s also great to see Frankie so expressive, excited for a race weekend. Usually, he seems to be in relaxation mode, but here he’s different, and he gives me so many positive vibes. I think it’s great to have a teammate who feels so strongly about the race weekend.”
What do you think of the track?
"It looks good; yesterday I walked a lap and I like that it’s not just straights and tight corners. It’s a real track, reminiscent of some other tracks in certain spots. It’ll be fast, even if it’s not very long. I think it’ll be fun to ride, though since I haven’t hit the track yet, it’s hard to say. It looks good, different."
Michelin won’t be bringing the same tyres as in Thailand—are you worried about having the same issues?
"I hope not! We’re lucky because the Ducati works well with all tyres. We’ve only had that kind of difficulty a couple of times, and at Buriram I wasn’t able to compete at the top because of the problem I had. I don’t think I really showed my true level there. But that’s just part of the game, and things will certainly be different here compared to what we saw in Thailand."
Are you worried about the track conditions?
"It looks like it’s still dirty; we’ll have to see how the tyres wear. These are all things we can’t really understand until we ride. Right now, I just want to get out on the track because I think it’ll be a fun track to race on."
What have you felt these past few days with the fans? Have you talked to Frankie about it?
"It will be important to connect with the fans here—for us, for the team, for the sport. Having a race on the calendar in this country was important. Then this year, the team has made a lot of efforts to make us feel like we’re truly part of something, like the presentation in Rome, which was wonderful for Frankie and me. Then there’s the tribute with the colors dedicated to this race—it’s wonderful for Frankie, too. These are the little things that make you even happier to race.”
Morbidelli. "It’s a home race for me, but let’s not compare it to Mugello and Misano"
Following Di Giannantonio, Morbidelli also commented on MotoGP’s “arrival” in Brazil, a round that obviously holds special significance for him.
"The place is beautiful, the track is amazing, and I hope it’s a spectacular weekend. We’re really excited about the track layout and the location."
Do you experience it as a home race like at Mugello or Misano?
"It’s still a home race for me, but it’s hard to compare it to others like Mugello and Misano—the feel is completely different. The main thing is that I want to do well, here just like in Misano, at Mugello, everywhere. At the end of the world, anywhere, really!"
Have you figured out why you haven’t had good starts at Buriram?
"The numbers show that my last two starts weren’t good, and we decided to make some changes to the bike that I think have prevented us from starting as we did in the past. We worked on the clutch. We’ll see."