Bezzecchi: “I think I deserve a factory bike”, happy if that’s “at Mooney VR46”
A dream move to the factory team won’t take place until at least the 2025 MotoGP campaign for Bezzecchi, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be on the same bike as Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini.
The Mooney VR46 Ducati rider is tied for second with Jorge Martin in terms of most wins so far this season (3), while he also remains title contender as the second half of the season begins.
- Marquez: “Our approach in the first half of the season was not the correct one”
- Bagnaia: “Morbidelli could be very competitive on a Ducati, deserves more”
Bezzecchi’s future is still to be decided, although it appears as though he will remain at Mooney VR46 next season, albeit on an upgraded package.
But despite those rumours, the Italian claims he’s unsure as to what will happen.
Bezzecchi said: "I don’t have any preference. I would like to get a factory seat. I think I deserve a factory bike. If it’s at Mooney VR46 I am happy, but if not, let’s see. For the moment, I have no idea.
"I expected to go fast but not to start the season like this. It’s normal, you don’t expect wins or podiums in your second year in MotoGP.
"We still have plenty of races to do, so there is time to work.
"It’s strange because life is different now. A lot of people recognise me. It’s fantastic because this is the top of two-wheel motorsport. To be fast and competitive here is amazing. I hope to continue like this, to improve and to work on myself."
Like Bezzecchi, one rider who has been very strong in both the sprint and main Grand Prix’ is championship leader Bagnaia.
Leading the way by 35 points over Martin, Bagnaia described the differences between a sprint and main race on the eve of the British MotoGP getting underway.
"In a sprint you can just push without considering anything. One I did that was more in that way was Mugello where I was pushing at 100% and considering the rear tyre.
"In the last few laps I was suffering with the lap time because the tyre was destroyed.
"If you want to take some risks you can and you know that the race is 10-to-12 laps, so you have more margin. In the sprint race you have to be more aggressive."
At this stage last season Bagnaia was over 60 points behind Fabio Quartararo in the championship, and therefore was playing the role of hunter in the title fight.
Now leading the way and on course for back-to-back titles, Bagnaia has not changed his approach from the first half of the year.
"Sincerely, I’m living in the moment exactly in the same way as last year," claimed the Italian. "I know last year was different because I started with 66 points [behind] after the summer break, but now I am 35 in front.
"It is different compared to last season’s situation but my ambition is to continue winning and doing the best job possible.
"I worked a lot this summer break. I didn’t do any vacation. I used that five weeks to work on myself and my ankle to be fully fit again.
"I’m trying to improve my situation for the second half of this season which will be so tough. Not these next three races we will have but in September when it will be very intense.
"It will be very important to be competitive. I worked a lot, maybe more than last season at this point."
