Assen track, Pecco province, Bagnaia kingdom. A garden a little far from home, where the world champion plants victories instead of flowers. For three years now he has been embellishing it and finds it identical the following season. On weekends like this, the others are mere extras on a stage that doesn’t belong to them. They can only put a good face on such a bad game.
THE GOOD – He went on stage (with his Ducati) surrounded by a cloud of smoke, a clear indication of a pact with the devil. Of speed. Even the color of the bike is Mephistophelian and for the opponents it is a devil. The only one who felt in heaven in Assen was Pecco Bagnaia and there is no need to explain why.
THE UGLY – It may no longer be the cathedral of the good old days, but Assen remains an excellent temple of speed. Beautiful like a rose, but with thorns. Aleix Espargarò, Lorenzo Savandori and Alex Rins know something about it, having discovered at their own expense how hard the Dutch asphalt is. Same fate for Joe Roberts.
ITHE BAD – In his good days as a pilot, Freddie Spencer boasted of seeing the world in slow motion. Now that he is sitting in front of the Race Control screens as chief steward, he could use a pair of glasses. Penalties come in biblical times, if they do at all. Rather than slow motion like in the Matrix, a Malox would be needed.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT – Not even Perry Mason could put together a defense for Miguel Oliveira’s performances. Aprilia goes, the Portuguese does not. Never a flash, a spark, even a dim light. In Assen the sun shone all weekend, except on his box.
CONFIRMATION – It’s not the first time it’s happened, but we’re happy to repeat it. Seeing 3 Boscoscuro on the podium is always a beautiful sight, the triumph of craftsmanship and skill.
OVERTAKING – Why limit yourself to one? He must have thought so. Bastianini, good at making life difficult for himself in qualifying, but even better at making amends in the race. There’s something for all tastes, like in an ice cream shop.
THE ERROR – We all win and lose together, the drivers’ favorite motto. Sharing joys and sorrows is fine, but Marc Marquez and his team have forgotten the former. On Saturday the driver self-eliminated on the kerb, on Sunday the team lowered the tire pressure too much, causing the Spaniard’s arterial pressure to rise. There is no joy in shared evils.
THE SURPRISE – Among Jorge Martin’s virtues, patience has never been his strong point. Instead at Assen the Spaniard got his head straight and, after a quick look at Bagnaia’s times, understood that sometimes it’s better to wait. And bring home points.
THE CURIOSITY’ – Forty years ago Randy Mamola won the Assen GP, on Sunday he took a photo with the cup that would have belonged to Bagnaia. He kept it warm for her.
I TOLD IT SO – Bagnaia on Thursday: “it won’t be easy to repeat it in Assen”. It didn’t seem like it.
