Enea Bastianini speaks to journalists on the Thursday of his home Grand Prix, commenting on his mixed performances and the progress of the championship.
Do you think you can return to winning ways on your home circuit?
“Yes, let’s see, no pressure. It’s early to think about it but I’m happy to be back here in Misano, last year I missed it due to injury, I’m ready to return to one of my favourite tracks, because it’s close to the city and my speed here has always been very good. We train a lot here, I think we could be competitive, but my three opponents will also be competitive, it will be a good fight. In Silverstone it was nice because from Friday I felt good. In Aragon something didn’t work from the start because the new asphalt was different, then Marc was incredible, he dominated for the whole Grand Prix, but here it can be different.
More pressure?
“We have to do a lot of races, it will be important to keep focused for the rest of the season, I like the rest of the calendar, we will do two races here in Misano and we are also prepared before the Asian tour”
In July you all rode the Panigale here. Some riders said they could do Turn 11 100% with the Panigale’s throttle, how much more difficult is it to do it with the MotoGP?
“I’m a big fan of the Curvone, it’s one of my favourite corners but I don’t want to do the same with the Panigale”
Will the two Grands Prix be crucial in deciding whether the title fight will be a two-way or a four-way fight?
“Pecco and Jorge have been consistent throughout the season, sometimes I get great results, sometimes not, it will depend on whether I have more consistency for the rest of the championship. Now we have to recover a big disadvantage, we are 71 points behind, but never say never. We still have to do a lot of races”
Afterwards with the journalists…
You’ve always been strong here. What’s the plan for this weekend?
“Always the same, every race you have to start and hope to have good feelings straight away. Since Silverstone is where I felt best straight away, I hope to have the same feelings there”
Is there a way to get off to a good start right away?
“Yes and no. Let’s say that there are times when you start from your base but you don’t feel comfortable because the conditions aren’t always the same, the asphalt is different, but this is a track that I know very well and I think that those who train here can definitely see a little more advantage”
So we’ll see right away on Friday morning if you’re on the podium?
“It will definitely be more Saturday at the moment, but also on Friday we will start to get a clearer idea right away. It is important to be fast right away and go straight to Q2 without making mistakes. The thing I am taking with me is that sometimes I exaggerate a bit in the time attack or I don’t feel comfortable, I make some mistakes and then I find myself in Q1”
You said that Martin and Bagnaia are more consistent. Do you feel at their level in terms of speed?
“In terms of speed, in reality, I’m always aligned in the race or sometimes I had a little more. Let’s say that we don’t lack speed, we lack a bit of consistency but above all explosiveness, that’s the part where I struggle the most”
Can knowing this circuit so well help you?
“Yes, this year I haven’t trained much here but it’s a track that can be my friend, in any case it has been in the past and I like it”
Marc says he is not in the fight and that the two of them (Bagnaia and Martin, ed.) are the fastest, but in reality the points are not that many. Do you feel like you are fighting for the world championship?
“The two of them were faster and more consistent than me, so they are further ahead in the standings. I have 71 points to recover, which is not a small amount, I have to look at what happens race by race but as long as it is mathematically possible, one must not give up”
