Unpredictable Silverstone

Silverstone has once again proved just how unpredictable it is, with a twelfth different winner in as many recent races. It also reiterates that this is a tough and demanding track for us: we experienced a lacklustre weekend, one that we must move on from quickly, still whilst drawing the necessary conclusions. Oh, well, there isn’t much to say: we were never really in the running. From qualifying, right through to the GP Race, we never found a competitive pace for several reasons, and we always lacked the right feel for the bike. Nothing particularly worrying. We take heed of a track that brings us abruptly back to the reality of a hard-fought championship against strong and indomitable opponents: now the priority is to recapture the spirit we had before the summer break and put our hearts into it, as well as giving our all, as always.

Alex Márquez was the best Ducati representative on both Saturday and Sunday – an excellent rider who kept alive a race that ended far too soon for us. A mistake halfway through the race probably cost him a place on the podium, but even so, he showed once again what he’s made of, demonstrating maturity and determination as well as all his great speed.

Good news also came from Diggia, who is back in the points and showing consistency: he needed this, on a mental plane as well. He scored valuable points in the context of his excellent season and from a world championship perspective, in a table that remains wide open and unpredictable.

Pecco ended a weekend to forget, with a crash; there is nothing more to be added except that the British track was certainly not ideal for him following his forearm operation – though he is not looking for excuses, as his comments confirm.

Marc was never able to match the pace of the best, regardless of his unfortunate qualifying session, marred as it was by a yellow flag on his final attempt. For distinct reasons, our result was totally different from the recent one in Germany. Matter of fact, it was quite the opposite. Marc himself had warned that this would be a tough one, which is exactly as it turned out. He got off to a strong start and stayed in the podium positions for as long as he could, before gradually slipping down the field, though he kept fighting sternly until he had to settle for a less than remarkable race without taking any unnecessary risks.

Simply, some favourable days will surely come: the important thing will be for us to be ready when this will occur. There are still plenty of races on the calendar, and rough patches are bound to be encountered by everyone. In a brilliant championship such as the MotoGP, success will go to those who can best respond to the challenge of the day.

Come on, Ducati!