Race begins have all the time been the Achilles’ Heel for Bezzecchi, with the Italian rider usually unable to transform sturdy qualifying performances into top-tier race outcomes after struggling to get away from the road.
As lately as this month’s Portuguese GP, Bezzecchi reported that he’s nonetheless having points with the clutch on his Ducati, having discovered the GP23 to be “utterly reverse” to its predecessor.
However the three-time race winner appeared to make a breakthrough in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, as he pulled away cleanly from pole place to fit himself behind polesitter Marc Marquez. It was solely when he was sandwiched by Brad Binder and Jorge Martin into Flip 1 that he misplaced a place, however even then he dropped to solely third.
Talking afterward, Bezzecchi thanked MotoGP legend Rossi – who was on-site at Jerez as a part of his position at VR46 – for serving to him recover from his clutch points and eventually make a fast getaway from the entrance row.
“Initially, I used to be actually centered on the beginning,” he mentioned. “It’s part of the race that’s all the time essential proper now but it surely’s additionally a component the place usually I battle.
“The clutch of our bike is admittedly powerful and looks as if I am slightly bit silly and I am unable to be superb each time. So yeah, I used to be a bit nervous for this.
“Vale helped me rather a lot via this a part of the weekend. He gave me lots of recommendation and thankfully immediately I made an excellent one and I used to be there to start with.”
Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Staff
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Bezzecchi had managed a greatest end of sixth previous to final weekend’s race at Jerez, a far cry from the type of outcomes that helped him take third within the standings final yr.
However the Italian loved a return to kind on the Spanish GP as he completed a powerful third behind fellow Ducatis of Francesco Bagnaia and Marquez, scoring his first podium since final yr’s season finale at Valencia.
Requested if the efficiency confirmed he’s now again at his absolute best in MotoGP, the 25-year-old mentioned: “Hopefully, sure. I used to be lacking this second.
“The tip of final season with the shoulder harm [in a training crash] but in addition the start of this season with the brand new bike and the difference and all the pieces, it was a tricky interval for me.
“I used to be lacking this sense since a little bit of time, so I’m very blissful to be right here [on the podium]. It was an exquisite weekend, to be trustworthy.
“I did not anticipate [it], however I used to be very motivated once I began from house as a result of final yr right here I used to be struggling, so I used to be motivated for this.
“But additionally as a result of I used to be enhancing step-by-step. So I needed to make an excellent one and thankfully, I did it.”