Awesome Marc

Yet again. Marc turns out to be... simply awesome. My broad smile reflects a joy that is inspired by all the various aspects this magnificent weekend has brought us. Beginning with our triumph in front of our fans – a crucial win at this stage of the Championship, and not just because these points put us at the top of both the Riders’ and Constructors’ Championships. The thrill we get every time from a Marc at his absolute best – the Champion everybody knows – is pure energy for us all, the very same energy we manage to give him in a winning partnership that needs no words at all. A special rider indeed. What makes him truly impressive - beyond his wealth of experience - is that he still has the desire, ability, and humility to learn and improve. A true professional who has earned the respect of the entire team on the track. To sum up, he always knows when to push, when to hold back and when to attack: a true phenomenon who really brings out the best from the bike, our beloved “princess”. But let’s not dwell too much on this instance, because right now, in the thick of the season with a race pressing on the next, it’s neither here nor there. Let’s keep our head focussed on the championship, since we haven’t achieved anything yet.

Marc’s eighth win at Misano – his fifth of the season and fifth in the last seven GP races – feels much like a one-two after his win in Saturday’s Sprint race. Another clean sweep – his third in the last four weekends – which puts him at the top of the overall standings. On Sunday, he certainly capitalised on his rivals’ misfortunes, but he won “in true Marc style”: he dominated the race by faultlessly managing his resources from start to finish, deciding when and how to attack, without rushing, taking the least risk and without ever overdoing it. His “bro” Alex also put in a great performance. A fine start from ninth on the grid; he fought his way up the field to finish second. At times, it even seemed as though he had more to give than Marc.

Aldeguer was fourth: an excellent race, both for him and for Ducati, following a superb qualifying session. Well done. Bagnaia crashed in yet another weekend to forget. He’d got off to a good start, had moved up several places and seemed to be in sync with the bike and the track, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case, not even this time. We must keep trying, and then try again. We’ll win with steady heads, as I’ve said before and will say again: by seeing races through to the end, whether on good tracks or less favourable ones. In any case, we must keep pushing right to the end since the season is still a long way from over – much longer than the bare schedule suggests. We will continue to fight square-on, and with our feet firmly on the ground, without allowing ourselves to be distracted by wins which, though important, are “merely” milestones along our journey. There’s certainly no shortage of competitive riders, we know it, as we know very well that we must never let our guard down because there’s something in it for everyone – mistakes included – when one least expects it.

Forza Ducati!