Ducati, Davide Tardozzi rejoices: he saw the old Pecco Bagnaia again
Pecco Bagnaia will face qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix starting directly from Q2, after moreover having been the fastest on track in FP1 at Motegi. A pilot apparently found, although at the end of the day has chose to adopt the low profile. But among those most pleased with his newfound form is inevitably Davide Tardozzi, Ducati team manager.
“What is most pleasing is to see the level of confidence that Bagnaia has regained. But above all, the happiness you can see in his eyes – Tardozzi told ‘Sky Sport’ -In the race there are heavy points at stake, and in fact in Ducati we have worked more than others on the medium tires. That is, the ones we will use in the Grand Prix”.
The Piedmontese rider, while maintaining a cautious attitude, confirmed the progress made after the difficulties experienced in recent weeks. “It is not the first time this year that we are doing well on Fridays, so at the moment I am quite happy but very contained – said Bagnaia to the microphones of Sky Sports -. I want to wait for tomorrow’s race to see if we can be competitive. Certainly the tests done in Misano helped a little bit’ but we have to wait for tomorrow”.
The signs of recovery come after a particularly difficult period for Bagnaia, who had experienced moments of high tension with the team in recent weeks. Tardozzi himself had to reassure the rider after the summer difficulties: “No one in here is questioning the qualities and potential of Francesco Bagnaia, because he has won 2 MotoGP world championships with merit. It is up to us to help him find the square”. A work that seems to have borne fruit precisely in Motegi, where the GP25 – which will be the basis for the development of next year–s bike; showed encouraging signs.
The three-time world champion explained how the work done during the test was key to regaining the lost feeling: “Having the test day we were able to focus on other things, definitely not easy because it’s all year we have been going after feeling and we had to try things that were never in our thoughts. In the end, I think having that day was crucial”.
In the Ducati household, however, it is also reflected on the progress of the’Aprilia, in the lead after pre-qualifying with a very inspired Marco Bezzecchi, but also of KTM and beyond. “The Honda, for example, seems to me very competitive here in Motegi – noted Tardozzi -. After all, there are concessions, and if the opponents work sooner or later they come. This is obvious. But we, for our part, needed a’full day with Bagnaia on the track in Misano to help him solve the problems he had”.
