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In its second year of life, the VR46 team is already establishing itself as one of the top MotoGP teams. After 5 GPs it is leading the team standings and with Marco Bezzecchi it is 2nd (just one point behind Bagnaia) in the Riders’ World Championship. There could be no better position to go into the home race at Mugello. Alessio 'Uccio' Salucci couldn't be happier, the present is a dream and he is already working for the future.
The only negative note is Marini's small injury.
“Luckily Luca is fine - Uccio reassured us - After the crazy blow at Le Mans, the X-rays at the circuit's medical centre had given a negative result, but in the following days he continued to have pain. So we did a CT scan and it turns out he has a small bone detachment, I'm not a doctor, but they explained to me that it's a sort of dislocated thumb. In a couple of weeks it should heal, now Luca has a brace and will probably take it off in the week of the Mugello GP. Nothing serious, but I think it will bother him a little, hopefully not much. The doctors are very optimistic."
Apart from this small hiccup, how is your approach to the home Grand Prix going?
“I don't know if you believe it, but I'm living a dream. I'm really happy with the team, the guys, the riders, we've created a fantastic group. I really like arriving at Mugello like this, it's very exciting, we'll do it as the first team in the championship and second in the riders’ standings, but we'll have the same mentality. At the beginning of the year we had a very good moment, then a decline in Jerez, but we showed that by being together we can come back strong, like at Le Mans, where without the crash Marini would also have fought for the podium. This capability gives me hope for the future, it means that we are not a flash in the pan but an important reality".
How much can a satellite team dream?
“We have a technical package, thanks to Gigi (Dall'Igna, ed.) and Ducati, which works very well. We have last year's bikes which are super tested and our riders really like them, plus Gigi always gives us something, even at Mugello we will have an updated technical package. Today as today, we are demonstrating that a satellite team, after 5 GPs, can stay there and fight for the championship. For sure, between now and the end of the year, the official teams will improve and we will not. We'll have to see how much they can do, it seems to me that in MotoGP everything is at the extreme now, so developments can be made during the year but not that much. I don't think we can improve by half a second per lap, if anything a tenth or a tenth and a half, that's what we'll have to compensate for, we'll find the way to do it".
Are you confident?
“I speak from the bottom of my heart: I'll be happy to finish wherever we finish, however it goes it will be a success (laughs). We didn't expect certain results and we'll see what happens, but we'll be tough and we'll sell our skin dearly".
The team has improved, but so have the riders.
“Marco and Luca have improved a lot over the winter, they have done a great job. When they saw that the team got better, so did they. We are a small team, we have to keep an eye on the budget, but when we have something we make it available and when there isn't, we ask everyone to pull the cart, as we say in Tavullia. They are always ready to give something extra, they are totally dedicated. Maro and Bez wanted to become top 6 riders and at the same time helped the team to do it”.
Now that Bezzecchi has blossomed, others would like to take him away from you. Are you worried?
“I've seen a lot of hardships in this sport, I'm not worried. I would expect Ducati to leave Marco for another year in our team, I'd like them to give us the support to continue with him."
Are you talking about having a factory bike?
“Yes, nothing striking there. Our team works to ensure that our riders go to the official one, the project was born for that, it would not be right for us or for him to keep Bezzecchi for his entire career. But we don't work for other satellite teams, if Ducati wanted to put him at Pramac, the idea wouldn't make me happy. We took Marco to MotoGP when everyone told me I was crazy, now that he's going strong I would like to have some support. However, I want to underline that I only manage the VR46 team and others take care of the Academy, it will be Bez who will then have to talk to the management".
What would you like?
“I want to keep him in the team under different conditions than he has today. Let me explain, now Marco has a salary and a technical package in line with those of a satellite team, it's not fair that he continues like this. I have already spoken to Dall'Igna a couple of times and I told him that I would like him to stay in VR46 with a factory bike and a direct contract with Ducati. Now I'll take a step back and it will be Bezzecchi's manager, Gianluca Falcioni, who will do the negotiations. I'm very serene, I'd hate to lose Marco, but we'll go on".
Now let's talk about Bezzecchi's present and his rivalry with Bagnaia, do you think their friendship is destined to end?
“Before Le Mans I went to lunch with the two of them and they made me laugh the whole time. They kept joking, laughing, playing. Right now there is a really sincere rivalry and I hope it lasts. They even have a childish way of making fun of themselves, but they are true. If they run on foot Bez wants to go faster than Pecco, if they go to the Ranch Pecco wants to go faster than Bez, slowly, even if they don't want to, they are raising the bar more and more and it is the strength of the Academy. Always training together is a continuous challenge, right now I'm just enjoying them. Bagnaia and Bezzecchi represent the values of sport, what I would like to teach my 10-year-old daughter through sport".
Let’s finish as we started, with Mugello. What is your dream?
“Marini 1st, Bezzecchi 2nd and Bagnaia 3rd”.
