Pecco Bagnaia arrived in the press room late in the afternoon. News has just come in that he made it onto the podium after the penalty for tyre pressure violations with Mir. You only have to look at his face to see that today has taken its toll on him, both physically and mentally.
“I don’t feel very well, but we were lucky today—very lucky. Thinking back on the crashes and what happened to Alex, I think someone saved us —he sighs— It was an intense day; I’ve already sent Alex my best wishes for a speedy recovery and a hug.”
That was just the first incident; then you were involved in the second restart in the crash triggered by Zarco. How do you handle a situation like that?
“I just asked the team to let me know if Alex was conscious, and when I got confirmation, I felt better. The footage was intense, the crash massive—it was tough. I hoped everyone would be calmer at the first braking point, though. Looking back at that incident, I have to say that Zarco didn’t do anything wrong; it was strange how his bike behaved because he lifted off earlier but didn’t stop. Something must have happened. My impact with the ground was really hard, but as soon as I got back up and saw his leg and the pain he was in, it was a real blow to me.”
How were you able to start again for the third time?
“I went back to the pit, got on the second bike—with the front tyre used in qualifying and a medium on the rear—and went out. I just tried not to think too much. I got off to a good start, but after three laps I started feeling sick; every time I braked, my head spun, so I slowed down. Maybe I wasn’t ready to race, but in the end it went well—I didn’t cause any problems. I made it to the finish line, and as soon as I pulled into the pit, I didn’t feel too great. My issues aren’t important today; I just want to thank the team for the work they did.”
Did you get checked out by the doctors?
“After the race. They took an X-ray of my left wrist and everything’s fine, even though I don’t feel too great. As for the other issue, I took a big hit to my neck and all my neck muscles were tight; now I just feel a bit sluggish.”
You made it to the podium after the penalty for Mir.
“I don’t feel like I deserve this third place, but it’s good for the championship, and the team deserves it for what they’ve done. I just wish this kind of result would become the norm, and I’ll keep focusing on my work.”
Do you think the decision to have a third restart was correct?
“As I’ve said before, I’m lucky it’s not me who has to decide. I’d say we need a rule prohibiting a third restart after two crashes. There were two huge ones today; I was right there in Zarco’s crash.”
Should riders be more united at certain times?
“It’s not a question of whether we’re friends or not, but we have to respect each other. When there are important meetings, like the Safety Commission, we have to go. Period. No discussion. And we have to move in the same direction, because we’re the ones on the bikes, the ones who feel where the limit is, and we have to speak up when something is wrong. But if only three of us go, it gets difficult. The problem is those who don’t show up for the Safety Commission.”
Marini says you’d make an excellent president.
“Right now, it’s all up to the teams; they’re the ones who decide. For me, there’s no ideal leader; we just need everyone to show up, like in the old days, when we voted to make changes. Now there are three of us, and it’s hard to have a say. We can say whatever we want, but if we’re not all there, nothing can be done.”
Aren’t you ever consulted on these decisions?
“I don’t know what to say. We’re here to race and do our best. We’re not the ones who decide, but we’re the ones who can influence certain decisions. The Safety Commission was created for that. In my opinion, there were several questionable situations this weekend. I hope more riders will attend the next meeting.”
Will what happened today make them change their minds?
“I don’t know if they’ll change their minds; we’ll see.”
Do you ever feel forced to race?
“No one forces anyone; if you don’t want to start, you don’t start. Everyone makes their own decisions. Obviously , we’re paid a lot of money and have a lot of sponsors, so in a way, it’s right to respect your job. It applies to everyone—if something happens at home, you still go to the office. In a situation like today’s, the third start was forced.”