Marco Bezzecchi has started the summer break as the best rookie – He speaks of a “fantastic” debut, but the Italian also expects difficult races
After eleven of 20 MotoGP races in the 2022 season, Marco Bezzecchi leads the rookie standings. The VR46-Ducati rider has collected 55 World Championship points. This gives the Italian a 37-point lead over Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini-Ducati).
Bezzecchi said goodbye to the summer break with a highlight. At Assen, the 23-year-old raced onto the podium for the first time in the premier class as runner-up. “In Assen I learned more in the top group than at the Sachsenring,” says “Bez”.
“But I think the click only comes when you have learned more things.” Because despite this success, he wants to keep his feet on the ground. “As a rookie, it’s normal to have ups and downs. Some tracks are harder than others. “
In what ways has he improved the most in his first six months as a driver? “Difficult to name just one thing. I’ve learned a lot about MotoGP, but the problem is that you still have a lot to learn.”
“Now I understand the electronics better and how to manage the rear tyre. I am quite good in that respect. I have made progress, but there is still a lot I can do better. That’s the braking on corner entry, for example. “
“In this area you can make a big difference. But it is also very difficult. I have been trying to improve this aspect since the beginning of the season. It’s the most difficult area when riding.”
Bezzecchi, like Gresini duo Enea Bastianini and di Giannantonio, rides last year’s Desmosedici. In the absence of any further development, the two rookies in particular can focus exclusively on themselves and their learning process.
On a grading scale of one to ten, Bezzecchi would give himself six and a half points. “I started very slowly at the first test,” he looks back. “I took my time to understand everything. When I had to push, I was where I want to be. “
“But I also made little mistakes. For a rookie, that’s normal. Maybe I deserve seven points, but I give myself six and a half.” At the third race in Argentina, Bezzecchi made people sit up and take notice for the first time with ninth place.
Bezzecchi also expects difficult races though
In Jerez he equalled this result. Then followed a fifth place at the home race in Mugello. Finally, in Assen, he managed to make it onto the podium for the first time. “Of course this is very important, because I was dreaming of this,” said Bezzecchi.
“I didn’t expect to achieve it so early. Nevertheless, I am still a rookie. In the second half of the season I don’t always expect such a good race. I’m sure there will be tracks where I have more problems. “
“We must always try to work as well as possible. If there are chances, we have to take them and get the best possible result. If that’s not possible, I have to get the best out of that day. It doesn’t matter if that’s a tenth, twelfth place or a podium.”
Overall, Bezzecchi describes his first six months as a MotoGP rider as “fantastic”: “Only in Barcelona I would have wanted more. The whole weekend was good, but then I crashed in the race. It was a similar mistake to Austin, which wasn’t very good.”
“The rest was fantastic because we learned something all the time. After every weekend Matteo and I write down two or three things we have learned. This list is already long.”
His second place at Assen also meant Valentino Rossi’s team’s first podium. In the riders’ standings, Bezzecchi is 14th
