“What happened to my brother was a shock for me, I didn’t expect it”

2023-11-25 21:34:59

Valentino Rossi is taking a crowd bath in Valencia. The nine-time world champion does not stop moving around the Ricardo Tormo Circuit paddock in Cheste, whether to help the drivers of his team, the Mooney VR46 Team, or to lend a hand to his most advanced pupil, Pecco Bagnaia, who is fighting this weekend for what could be his second consecutive MotoGP title.

The nine-time motorcycling world champion stopped by the Sky Sport Italia set today to analyze everything that is happening this weekend in Valencia, starting with today’s victory by Jorge Martín and the fifth position signed by Bagnaia, conditioned by a medium rear tire that has not worked as well as the soft compound that the one from San Sebastián de los Reyes has opted for.

“We also wondered why Bagnaia had not copied Martín’s tires,” Valentino said in reference to the Ducati Lenovo Team’s decision to come out with different compounds than Jorge Martín. “If it had been the right choice, it would have been for both of us, the same if it had been the wrong one. But Pecco had felt good on the medium in the morning, Bezzecchi and Marini also went out on the medium, it seemed that both tires “They were similar based on the data. And, on the other hand, in the race the soft one made the difference.”

Valentino, an old dog in matters of psychological play, sees the attitude that the Madrid driver is showing this weekend to try to destabilize Pecco’s mind as normal.: “Martín puts everything on the line, he is willing to do anything to win the World Cup, like scoring against Pecco on Friday… but Bagnaia this morning was perfect from the first lap, he gave everything and there was also the dream of closing it in the Sprint, but it didn’t happen like that.”

Tomorrow, Sunday, we will know the name of the 2023 MotoGP world champion; Rossi remembers that his pupil will leave with “14 points advantage”, a difference that qualifies as “important in a single race” in which “everything is at stake.” “I’m sure Pecco would have preferred to be 14 points ahead than to be behind. It must be said that Pecco will start second again tomorrow, it could go well, Let’s hope he makes a good tire choice,” predicts #46.

Asked how he saw Pecco in Valencia, ‘Vale’ believes that the Turin native “It seems calmer than last year, because you’ve been through it all before and experience always helps. We talked last night and today he gave everything he had. “Tonight will be more difficult, but it won’t be easy for Martín either.”

And continuing with the excellent form of the Spaniard from PRAMAC Racing, Rossi admits that Martín “It was clear from the beginning that he was one of the strong ones in MotoGP. There were doubts about his physique, he had had bad injuries, but since Pecco fell in Barcelona, ​​Martín has gone from strength to strength. He realized that this could be his chance. There was a difference of 66 points and the World Cup was almost closed, but from then on Martín said ‘this is the opportunity, I’m going to try it.'”

There was, of course, a question related to the surprising departure of Luca Marini to the Repsol Honda Team box; for Rossi, finding out about the signing of his brother by HRC “it was a shock”a news that ““we didn’t expect”. Recognize that “he is very sorry” Marini’s departure because “It was nice to see him in front and be a protagonist with my team and our bikes. But I had this opportunity at Honda, the official Honda, with a two-year contract. I am a big fan of his and I will help him as much as I can. It is a difficult choice and then Honda is Honda, for those of us of a certain age…”, drops Tavullia’s.

Read also: Márquez, excited about his podium in the Sprint: “It’s the best way to say goodbye to the team”

And about what will happen to Honda in 2024 after three catastrophic seasons in MotoGP, Valentino believes that the arrival of new concessions to the championship can put the premier class grid back in balance: “Honda and Yamaha have understood that they cannot suffer so much, especially with Ducati there. They have understood that they have to put one more gear. Next year the Japanese manufacturers will have help, and Marini is a very good test driver, we’ll see. “It will be interesting to see the tests on Tuesday.”