“Will probably be a very good struggle”: Media Day dispatch from Misano
Thursday, 05 September 2024
The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli performs host to Spherical 13 of 2024 and on Thursday on the Gran Premio Crimson Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, there wasn’t a scarcity of matters to get caught into.
Take a look at the important thing story from Misano’s Media Day as one of many last 2025 rider puzzle items slots into place, after which take pleasure in the press conferences as eight riders sat down to speak to the media on Thursday. Press Convention 1 noticed Championship chief Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) sit alongside Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Staff), Aragon GP winner Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Staff), earlier than Pedro Acosta (Crimson Bull GASGAS Tech3), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Staff) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) have been joined by Trackhouse Racing MotoGP™’s Miguel Oliveira.
Take a look at all the highest headlines from the day after which come again for extra as observe motion begins on Friday!
JORGE MARTIN (Prima Pramac Racing)
Misano was one in every of your strongest weekends in MotoGP™. Do you’re feeling you’ve the potential to dominate this weekend and do you’re feeling that you’re the strongest on this lead group within the Championship?
“It’s good to be right here in Misano after final yr’s end result however what I did final season doesn’t matter anymore. Now the vital factor is to maintain bettering and continue to learn as a result of now the extent is rising so much. I really feel like I’m progressing, I get higher and higher however so are the others so it’s fairly tough. I really feel like right here in Italy might be a brilliant good weekend for Pecco and Enea as they prepare so much right here so it’s a good observe for them but in addition for us. Dominate might be tough, attempting to repeat what we did final season might be tremendous laborious however I’ll attempt my greatest.”
The place did you make the distinction final yr in Misano?
“Final season I felt good immediately from the primary Follow however Pecco and Marco have been injured so I don’t know the way a lot this was stopping them, however for positive they weren’t 100% which was a bonus. I used to be sturdy, I used to be lacking some pace on the quick nook on the again straight so hopefully I will be higher this yr.”
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (Ducati Lenovo Staff)
How are you feeling bodily and is Misano the proper option to flip the web page after a tough weekend in Aragon?
“Initially I need to apologize to Alex (Marquez) for the sturdy phrases I mentioned in the course of the interviews after the race. I used to be very indignant about what occurred and searching on the telemetry was even worse from my viewpoint. I used to be a bit too sturdy with my phrases, I didn’t need to say that he made us crash on function however his defence was a bit aggressive, like it’s regular if you find yourself preventing for the rostrum positions. I nonetheless assume the identical in regards to the incident as a result of I’ve my mind-set however for positive the phrases, I mentioned have been a bit an excessive amount of and I mentioned sorry to Alex. Bodily I’m not at 100%, I really feel a whole lot of ache in my shoulder, over the collarbone by my neck. We’ll attempt to be prepared; it’s my dwelling Grand Prix and it’s at all times implausible to race in entrance of the group right here. I cowl one million kilometres yearly right here so I will be prepared in any case.”
Do you assume it was vital to talk with Alex on Sunday?
“Yeah as a result of typically anger could make you say one thing that you just don’t assume, so from my viewpoint it’s that. He got here to our workplace to apologize and we’re two riders with two factors of view and are respectful, and for positive we had the identical ambition on the mistaken second.”
MARC MARQUEZ (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)
Does Gresini’s dwelling weekend provide you with an additional push this weekend?
“Yeah for positive my goal for this season has been achieved in Aragon so now it’s time to maintain working and after that weekend we will breathe a bit extra, however we have to use that further enhance, the additional confidence to maintain working. With the workforce and the bike, we’re studying one thing each race and are discovering one thing, feeling higher. I want to begin right here with the identical feeling because the Crimson Bull Ring, that might be sufficient for me because it signifies that already the sensation is nice. I do know that Aragon had very particular situations due to the floor and the storms in the course of the night time. For this GP, I feel these three guys might be super-fast and we are going to attempt to be near them.
What was it that satisfied you that you might struggle for wins once more in 2024?
“Proper there (referencing a video of him on the Valencia Take a look at) I realised that my resolution was the proper one, to maintain going and alter the route. At that time I realised that in the end a victory would arrive throughout the 20 races, I knew that I’d have some sturdy factors at some circuits. Now we have to work on essentially the most tough factor on this Championship, which is consistency, that is what these two guys are higher at than us and we are going to attempt to discover a option to be sooner in our weak factors.”
ENEA BASTIANINI (Ducati Lenovo Staff)
Do you come right here with excessive expectations of hopefully reaching one other weekend like Silverstone?
“We’ll see, it’s early to consider it however I’m very comfortable to be again right here in Misano, I missed the race final yr due to damage. I’m prepared to come back again to this circuit, it’s one in every of my favourites as a result of it’s near my city and likewise as a result of my pace can be good as we prepare so much right here. I feel we will be aggressive, but in addition these three guys might be aggressive and it will likely be a very good struggle. In Silverstone, it was so good to journey from Friday and I hope to have the identical sensation right here. In Aragon, one thing didn’t work from the beginning due to the brand new asphalt however it may be totally different so let’s see.”
You’ll have enormous assist from household and associates this weekend, does that deliver any further strain?
“I feel we have now to do many races and it will likely be vital to remain targeted for the remainder of the season. I like the remainder of the calendar, we have now two races right here in Misano and we’re ready earlier than the Asian tour.”
PEDRO ACOSTA (Crimson Bull GASGAS Tech3)
How assured are you which you can keep the extent that you just confirmed in Aragon right here at Misano?
“Initially, I’m comfortable to be aggressive once more in Aragon. It was a very good weekend total however it’s true that our rivals might be quick right here. Additionally, Brad and Dani had an superior race final yr so why not intention to be as aggressive as Aragon at the least.”
Herve instructed us, “I’m satisfied that Pedro might be a title contender in 2025, not simply due to his pace however as a result of he ticks all the packing containers, he’s the entire package deal,” what do you make of his feedback?
“Let’s try to cross our fingers, for positive the bounce to the manufacturing facility workforce will assist because the developments that we have now made prior to now couple of months have been superior and the steps that we have now made and I feel we might be aggressive in the end. It’s true that we’re one step behind our rivals however this can be a factor of time and I feel we are going to greatest quick in the end, and we will’t overlook that our undertaking remains to be fairly younger. For positive we are going to make a much bigger step within the subsequent few months.”
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Staff)
How a lot of a lift did Aragon provide you with and what do you anticipate this weekend in Misano?
“It was a implausible weekend as a result of earlier than coming there I didn’t assume it could be attainable to finish the race or the sort of race. So, we arrived with no expectations and ultimately, it was attainable to make the race and make an excellent race as a result of I used to be ranging from far again and I made a whole lot of overtakes. At this second of the yr, we try to handle the ache as a result of I’m nonetheless attempting to handle the collarbone from the crash on the Sachsenring after which my left shoulder in Austria. In the meanwhile the physique is just a little bit on the restrict however I’m not anxious as a result of with the bike we’re feeling actually good, we all know that the 2023 bike has just a little hole between the 2024 bikes however I feel we will make a very good race right here in Misano.”
Your first race right here for the VR46 Staff, does that provide you with an additional push?
“For positive. Yesterday we had an enormous workforce dinner and the power is basically excessive, every thing and everyone has a whole lot of will to have a very good weekend, so it will likely be vital to offer our most. Misano is at all times particular however this yr is much more particular.”
ALEX MARQUEZ (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)
Firstly, how are you bodily?
“Good. I imply perhaps I’m not 100% after an enormous crash, it’s true that it’s not simple to get well, the physique has simply two or three days. I had three hours of physio on Monday, additionally at the moment I had two hours. Daily I’m significantly better and I feel I might be 100% this weekend. I like the truth that he apologised, it’s one thing which I’m grateful to him for. It’s true that the harm to myself, my workforce and likewise to my rider picture has already been achieved. That being mentioned I need to shut this chapter and need nobody to discuss it. We’re coming from a extremely constructive weekend in Aragon, so we are going to look ahead, we have now an vital weekend right here as it’s the workforce’s dwelling GP, so we must be actually targeted from the start.”
How vital is it for it to be Gresini’s dwelling GP?
“Will probably be very nice to journey on the entrance. I do know the hospitality might be stuffed with friends and these good vibes might be constructive so we are going to attempt the utmost that we will obtain a very good end result. We struggled right here final yr because it’s not a observe which fits my driving model effectively, however I feel we’re targeted and if we come right here in fine condition then we will get a very good end result right here.”
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA (Trackhouse Racing MotoGP™)
What was the motivation behind this new problem?
“I feel to begin with it’s a little little bit of a shift of the main target that they’re having in the meanwhile to develop the present bike. Regardless of the foundations altering in two years, Yamaha doesn’t need to wait for much longer to come back again to the highest. After being concerned with two producers I really feel that my adaption functionality is excessive, I’m driving in completely a distinct means in comparison with two years in the past. I feel this may assist to offer suggestions and get issues going faster. Having a second manufacturing facility workforce and being concerned in a workforce equivalent to Pramac is a large motivation for me and I can’t wait to get began.”
