Masterpiece

A wonderful, spectacular, overwhelming victory at Jerez, for which it is worth “going overboard”, yes! A masterpiece set in a splendid Ducati podium, with 3 different teams, and enclosed in a frame that has 5 of our bikes in the top five positions. These are races that linger in the memory and in the soul, and that count most, if one might say so, for teams and riders alike: they go beyond the joy of an excellent performance, they give satisfaction for the work done and inspire strength and confidence for whatever is to come, starting with the tests scheduled for Monday. The fastest lap in the finale, after a no-holds barred battle, says it all about an exciting duel of the highest technical level between two outstanding riders who lapped in record times until the very end.

To say the least, an outstanding Pecco, starting from the very first lap with exceptional and textbook riding, put his personal seal on a difficult, fiery race, which expressed all the technique, intelligence and character of which he is capable. An important reaction was needed, all the more so after the bitterness left by the Sprint, and so it materialised. Rekindling the fortunes of the weekend has now become his hallmark: the strength to always find great motivation, to leave everything behind and to concentrate solely on the race, giving the best of himself, never sparing himself, in a bruising combat that is as spectacular as it is insidious for all the risks entailed. In other words, he stood tall and victorious with the authority justified by the number one on his fairing.

All this also thanks to a stalwart and indomitable Marquez, a champion rediscovered who enhances Pecco's achievement even more, as well as doing justice to his team and to the great work they are all doing together. It was a tough but fair contest, with mutual respect, and the sign of great sportsmanship between these two greats at the end of the race is testimony to that, a gesture that I really appreciated and that gives me particular satisfaction.

And how not to mention Martin and his crash that put him out of the running in the second half of the race while in the lead: without this adversity he would certainly have been protagonist of a firework finale, such was his great show and competitiveness, already demonstrated in Saturday's Sprint Race victory.

In addition to Team Gresini, VR46 can also rejoice with a superb Bezzecchi, on a podium that restores the just and deserved tone to the team and its riders.

This will be a long World Championship to all intents and purposes, one for all tastes: there will be no shortage of errors and race incidents. This will be true for all. In addition to the technical aspect, it will be crucial to manage emotionality well, between moments of joy and those of discouragement and tension, to find a constant balance based on the awareness of always needing to give everything one has in store.

Come on, Ducati!