Marco Bezzecchi shone again in Jerez and achieved his first podium of the season. We needed a result of that type, after having struggled a bit in the first grands prix due to a less than optimal feeling with the Desmosedici GP23. He is competitive again and now it’s a question of understanding whether in the next races he will confirm himself at the level seen in Andalusia or whether he will struggle again. Monday’s test certainly helped him to further understand his Ducati and together with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 team he tried new solutions to progress.
MotoGP, Bezzecchi finds his smile again in Jerez
In Saturday’s Sprint he had fallen, like several other drivers, but in the long race he made up for it with interests: “I’m happy to have been competitive all weekend – reports Motosan.es – and it was nice to fight with Marc and Pecco. I tried to follow Pecco, but he was going too fast. However, I managed to overtake Marquez a couple of times and I am very happy with the performance. The bike is improving, the team has been working well since the beginning of the season“.
Valentino Rossi was also there in Jerez to support him and the VR46 team, an important presence for Bezzecchi: “Vale gave me a lot of advice during this period. It was nice to have him with us, he helped me a lot, especially during the starts“.
Valentino Rossi praises his “student”
The nine-time world champion was very happy after the GP in Jerez, given that the winner was Pecco Bagnaia (another rider of the VR46 Riders Academy) and that Bezzecchi was on the third step of the podium. The result of the Rimini native gave him particular satisfaction and he told Sky Sport MotoGP: “We are very happy for Bez. I feel a great responsibility, because I tried to convince him to stay in our team and therefore to race with the 2023 Ducati. He believed in it, even if this bike seems more complicated to set up and ride. The start of the season was difficult, but I knew that without giving up and working well together with the team he would make it. Bez has so much potential. He too has to adapt, because here the differences are really small, and get the last two-three tenths out of the bike like he did in the race. A very important podium for him and for the team“.
Important words from Rossi, who admits that he feels somewhat responsible towards Bezzecchi for having “blocked” his move to the Prima Pramac Racing team, where he would have ridden the Ducati Desmosedici GP24 and not the GP23. Today, in his place in Pertamina Enduro VR46 there would be Franco Morbidelli, who instead landed in Paolo Campinoti’s team. Valentino was convinced that having continuity with the same team and the same men, starting with the crew chief Matteo Flamigni, was the best solution for his growth. Over time we will understand whether it was the right choice, in the meantime Jerez can be a starting point.
Photo: VR46 Riders Academy
