As a Ducati test rider, Michele Pirro reveals that Marc Márquez will be an asset when he joins Gresini Racing, one of the satellite teams of the transalpine factory, and he praised the level shown in the premier class.
‘I saw a calm and lucid Márquez who pushed the potential of our bike. He’s come from many years of facing difficulties, but I think this new challenge is a great opportunity for everyone’ he said in statements to GPOne quoted by Motosan.
‘The GP24 is simply an evolution and the positive thing is that there don’t seem to be any negative aspects. There’s not even half a second’s difference between the bikes, just small details, bearing in mind that the rider’s confidence will make the difference. Just look at what Di Giannantonio did at the end of last season, he didn’t make any progress in the last few races, he simply got on the bike and the feelings did the rest’ he added.
Pirro, who is in Sepang, also recalled the tests that Marc Márquez carried out in mid-november last year in Valencia.
‘It’s still too early to say anything. You have to bear in mind that in Valencia he didn’t have the opportunity to choose because he didn’t know the bike. The technical part isn’t the priority for him at the moment, as he has a bike that’s the same as last year’s and that we’ve all had data on. The most important thing for him is to get back on the bike and have fun. There’s certainly a lot of euphoria, but I can assure you that, having raced on the track in recent years, the victories aren’t so obvious. MotoGP today has reached a very high level and the proof of that is the distinctive performances of Bastianini, Pecco, Bezz, Martín, etc. I expect Márquez to be fighting for victory in every race, more than he did last year, where he perhaps didn’t have much conviction. I’m sure that Marc won’t start the season with a lead of seconds over everyone else, because today’s MotoGP has reached a really high level. And he’s aware of that, he’s already started to study his opponents and vice versa. In any case, I’m delighted that he’ll be able to ride a Ducati’, he concluded.