Mooney VR46 locked out the Italian GP front row at Mugello as Marco Bezzecchi scored his maiden visit to MotoGP Parc Fermé on Saturday.
Joined by pole sitter Fabio di Giannantonio and VR46 teammate Luca Marini in third for an all Italian celebration, the premier class rookie had shown his pace throughout the Mugello weekend with frequent trips in the top ten. Securing his place in the shootout from fifth in FP3, before scoring second in Saturday’s rain-hit FP4, the 23-year-old replicated his pace with confidence when it counted.
“It was a strange condition for the qualifying but normally I like these conditions, is full of adrenaline so I always enjoy,” Bezzecchi admitted from the Tuscan press conference. “I prefer dry today because the rain strong in the Arrabbiata one and two was really strange.
“For me it was very positive today but also yesterday we made a good job and I think the first row of today is something that I didn’t expect for sure, but we really work good so I think that we deserve this result.
With teammate and fellow VR46 academy rider Marini alongside both on track and on the front row, did the pair have a strategy for their home qualifying?
“No, we didn’t speak but before the red flag we go in together, we make some corners together and I saw that the limit was far,” Bezzecchi explained. “The rain was falling but the track still was good. So I pass Luca and I just tried to make him follow me to see that the limit was good but we didn’t speak so much because the situation was very nervous in the box.”
With the race in mind, the Italian believes three recent winners will be battling for another taste of victory in Sunday’s 23-lap contest.
“Well honestly I think that Enea [Bastianini], Aleix [Espargaro] and Pecco [Bagnaia] are very, very fast. I have a good pace but is not fast enough to stay with them. So fight for the podium could be a dream. If we want to be realistic, I think that is not possible for the moment but maybe tomorrow morning in warm-up we find some tenths.
“At the end my target is not to try to fight for the win. I think it’s too early but take this as a possibility to see the top riders, see what they do and learn as much as I can.”
