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He is one of the most consistent riders on the Ducati since Le Mans to date. Who are we talking about? Simple, Luca Marini, who is showing interesting performances on the Mooney team's GP22. On the eve of the Assen round, the rider from Pesaro wanted to take the opportunity to take stock of what his learning curve has been like with the latest evolution bike from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
“I don't think I'm a rider with slow growth, since it depends on which team you start from - he said - In Moto2, for example, I started from Forward and not from a team like Marc VDS. In the end, however, that's okay, I have no regrets. Each rider has a different path than the others. But when I have found myself in a good position I have been able to show my true potential ”.
Marini explains what he did from winter to spring.
"We worked on the set-up and my position on the bike, putting everything together to find the best solution. From the beginning we knew what the problems were, but we didn't have the time to solve them. For example, I suffered from wheelie, as a result I tried a new swingarm. The problem is that you then improve the wheelie, but struggle in other respects, such as in terms of grip. As a result, you have to start all over again, considering that you also have the tires to evaluate over the race weekend and only 45 minutes available. At Jerez we tried many things, putting the various components together, and finding the confidence and feelings I wanted. We then moved on to work on the details in the Barcelona tests and we saw the improvements ”.
There is one aspect that Luca emphasizes.
"MotoGP electronics are impressive compared to Moto2 and my electronics engineer also had to learn and deal with this new reality. That's a big leap, but in these cases it becomes essential to keep calm and serene".
Among the subjects discussed were the test days available to the riders, the number of which will be reduced.
“The tests are not enough and in the future we will have fewer days. It will therefore be complicated for rookies and struggling manufacturers. Instead, it will be positive for riders with experience and as a result a proven basis to tackle all the GPs. It will be a much more racing MotoGP ”.
And what about the approach ...
"The approach is now more or less the same for everyone. The riders want to look at their style, evaluate the electronics and then ride, without wasting time perhaps doing too many tests. In some ways it is better to finish second, rather than trying things over the weekend with the risk of finishing seventh. "
Meanwhile, this weekend we are racing at the TT.
“I think Ducati will be competitive here in Holland as well, as it has been on the other tracks. Let's not forget that in 2021 Pecco was fast with the GP21 ”.
As mentioned, Marini has made big steps forward, now the podium is not far away.
"There is a mix of things that has affected me in not reaching the podium. If I had started further up in Germany, without making mistakes, maybe I could have stayed close to Zarco. Personally I am happy, because I have improved in tire management and the gap from the winner has narrowed. With the bike I feel good in every situation and I hope it is also here in Assen. Getting into the top five is the goal ".
The last consideration is a balance on the rival bikes.
“The Honda is the bike that has worsened the most. They seem to be struggling with the electronics, one of their strong points, suffering particularly from corner exits. Last year they struggled in entry, now even in exit and you realize it when you are behind them. I don't think they have a great balance, in fact they seem effective in nowhere. Honda, however, has incredible power, they know how to solve these things quickly and with Marc's return they will be in front. Then the Aprilia improved, but also the Ducati, especially during the Championship. I also mention the Yamaha, a great bike and just see what Quartararo is doing ”.
Marco Bezzecchi then took the floor, the first time with the Ducati MotoGP on the Assen track.
"It is one of the tracks that fascinates me the most, as well as Phillip Island and the Red Bull Ring - he said - Sepang and Jerez also intrigued me, but we have already tried them in the winter tests".
The World Championship arrives at the last stop before the break
"In this first part of the season I learned a lot with the Ducati, understanding the electronics and the use of the rear tire better, but there is still a lot to do. One of the points undoubtedly is corner entry, where you can make a difference and at the same time it is the most complicated thing. I worked a lot on it, but as I said this is one of the most complicated aspects ”.
He also had the time to give a vote to himself…
"At the beginning I would have said 6.5, because I started very slow with the bike in the first test, taking the time to learn. Then when I started pushing I got where I wanted, but made some small mistakes. As a vote I would say 7, but 6.5 is okay ".
One final word about the weather conditions that the riders will find over the weekend.
"I like the rain, but Assen is too nice to go slow in the rain."
